13th May 2025
A DONATION of hundreds of pairs of glasses by a Thameopticians is set to help people in Malawi as part of a trip being organised by a local school.
The unwanted specs, which have been donated by customers at Specsavers Thame, have been handed over to Edward Johnson, a Year 11 student at Aylesbury Grammar School, who will be part of a trip to Malawi in the summer.
Organised by the school every two years since 2007, the Malawi Initiative sees a group of around 30 pupils visit the African country as part of an exchange programme with Malosa Secondary School. Its aim is to help foster educational and medical improvements as well as helping to improve female empowerment through the provision of a wide range of resources and equipment.
‘We first donated glasses for the students to take to Malawi in 2023, so when Edward approached us again, we were more than happy to help,’ says Neil Perry, store director at Specsavers Thame. ‘Access to eyecare is something most of us take for granted, but unfortunately that isn’t the case for everyone. Hopefully the specs will help provide clearer vision to the people of Malawi.’
‘On behalf of Aylesbury Grammar School, I’d like to say thank you to Specsavers for their donation,’ says Edward. ‘We’ll be handing over the glasses to the hospital and I’m sure they will be very well received, helping people who would otherwisecontinue to struggle with their vision.
‘To date, the initiative has raised £250,000 which has helped to build a secondary school and three pre-schools. On this trip, as well as taking the glasses and other supplies with us when we go, each pupil has raised £1,500, with half going to help build another secondary school and half donated to St Luke's Hospital in Likwenu. We’re all really looking forward to the trip and know that it will be an eye-opening experience.’
For more information about the Malawi Initiative, head to https://malawi.ags.bucks.sch.uk/
To book an eye or hearing test, call Specsavers Thame on 01844 394765 or go tohttps://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/thame
