BOSSES of the Specsavers stores in Sale, Altrincham and Urmston are thanking customers donating 3,000 pairs of glasses in 2019.

Shoppers have donated thousands of glasses to help people in Africa.

Steven Dare, retail director, said: “The campaign has been a massive success, thanks to our very kind and generous customers bringing in their old glasses. Every single one will make a difference. In a country where opticians’ services are readily available, such as the UK, it is easy to take our vision for granted. In poorer parts of the world where people don’t have access to eyecare services, these donations and Vision Aid Overseas can make a significant impact on people’s lives.”

Founded in 1985, Vision Aid Overseas has been helping some of the poorest people in the world to see properly for more than 30 years.

The charity’s mission is to enable people living in poverty to access affordable glasses and eyecare.

VAO has been Specsavers international eyecare charity since 2008. The group has raised over £600,000 for Zambian eye care including an optometry technologists training course at the Chainama College of Health Sciences in Lusaka, 10 staffed vision centres across Zambia and a national eyecare outreach programme.