At Elizabeth Maw Optometrist we also care for those who are not so fortunate.  We support a charity called Vision Aid Overseas.  This charity sends teams of optometrists to the third world; they carry out eye examinations and provide spectacles to people who have no access to optical services.  This makes a huge difference to people’s lives – allowing children to achieve at school and also adults to earn their own livelihoods.

We collect old and used spectacles, they are sent off to Vision Aid Overseas headquarters sorted and used for the overseas projects.  Imagine your unwanted spectacles transforming someone’s life!!  In total we have donated over 2000 frames.

All this good work requires a steady stream of cash.  At Elizabeth Maw’s we will not charge you for minor repairs to your spectacles, we instead ask for a contribution to Vision Aid Overseas.

A more major source of funding was our Open Day that we held on the 14th of July 2006.  This was also to show off and celebrate our refurbishment and new look.

Food and Drink was available through out the day.  Prizes donated by our suppliers also allowed us to have a fund raising raffle and a free prize draw, the children were also included.  They did some super pictures for our completion and had the fun of a lucky dip.

Darlington footballer Jamie came along to draw the raffle and judge the children’s pictures.  The Northern Echo also joined in and gave both us and Vision Aid Overseas a great plug in the paper the following week.

It was a great day and £150.00 was raised for Vision Aid Overseas.