Specsavers Bandon staff to cycle 100km for the Hope Foundation

COLLEAGUES at Specsavers Bandon have set themselves a target of cycling 100km to raise much needed funds for the Hope Foundation.

The store is encouraging the Bandon community to come along on Saturday October 14th to offer support while they take on the goal with an instore exercise bike. The event will take place all day and Specsavers Bandon would be extremely grateful for any donations in support of Specsavers charity partner the Hope Foundation.

This November will see store director Marie Burke join other Specsavers staff as they volunteer their time in Kolkata with the Hope Foundation, delivering vital eyecare to those in need. 

On last year’s trip, Specsavers volunteers visited nine different locations over one week and gave eye checks to over 1,700 patients, dispensed over 1,200 glasses, and in more severe cases, referred patients to the eye hospital for surgery. In addition to this, over 160 cataracts were detected through the checks and treated at the eye hospital. Although what was provided can almost be seen as routine eye care, many of those who were treated by Specsavers volunteers had never had access to these services before. 

At the end of their week-long volunteering trip last November, Specsavers presented a cheque of €115,000 to founder of the Hope Foundation, Maureen Forrest. The significant donation played a vital role in sustaining the eye care clinic in Kolkata.

The Hope Foundation is a long-term charity partner for Specsavers. With the help of donations from customers and Specsavers themselves, the Hope Foundation has so far been able to conduct over 151 free eye check-up camps, treating more than 25,000 people, dispensing more than 14,000 pairs of glasses, providing more than 9,000 free medicines to patients.

Speaking on the fundraiser, Marie Burke said: ‘I’m very proud of the team for coming together to raise much needed funds for the Hope Foundation. As I prepare to travel to Kolkata this November, I know I will be seeing the impact of Specsavers’ continued work with the people of Kolkata. I hope that the community of Bandon will come together to support those in need through our fundraiser.’

The Hope Foundation Ireland is a registered Irish charity working with street and slum children in Kolkata. The charity works to free children and families from lives of pain, abuse, poverty, and darkness and seeks to improve their lives by providing access to healthcare and nutrition, education, drug rehabilitation, and life skills and training.  With the help of Specsavers and the Hope Foundation, improved eye care will be made available to the children living in slums and hospitals in Kolkata.

For more information or to make a donation call Specsavers Bandon on 023-888 9037 or visit www.specsavers.ie.