We're thrilled to share that this summer marks a milestone for VCHP as we prepare to open our 10th clinic, a momentous occasion heralded by our inaugural venture into Scotland.
Located at Crisis Skylight in Edinburgh, our choice reflects a stark reality: a 28% surge in homelessness in the city from 2022 to 2023 underscores the pressing need for our services. If you're an optometrist, dispensing optician, or optical assistant who wants to make a difference, please join our volunteer team.
Vision Care for Homeless People (VCHP) is a Registered Charity that was set up by three optometrists in England in 2003, to provide ocular care to people that were currently homeless or who are vulnerable for other reasons. They wanted to create a safe and friendly environment so that people would feel comfortable and welcome coming into a VCHP clinic. We are delighted to be granted charitable status in Scotland this year as we work to expand our service across the UK.
Credit: Lisa Bretherick (www.lisaimages.com).
Our aim is to expand the service nationwide to cover all the major cities, so we can make as much of a difference as possible to as many people as we can. Much of our funding comes from company and private donations, organised fundraising events or grants, enabling us to run a free service for those not receiving benefits and meaning the more funding we receive, the more people we can help.
The VCHP clinic in Edinburgh is really coming together now due to very generous donations from across the optical industry. Now the clinic has been fitted out with furniture and equipment, we are at the stage where we need to find some wonderful volunteers who would like to make a difference to so many lives. If you think this could be you, we would really like to hear from you. Clinics generally run once a week for 4–6 hours. We wouldn’t expect you to come every week but a commitment of once a month would be greatly appreciated. We are a friendly lot and would love you to come and join our VCHP family!
The VCHP clinic will be on the new Specsavers-sponsored Wellness Floor in Crisis Skylight Edinburgh, that will also provide a range of health and wellbeing related support services such as hairdressing, massage, podiatry, and outreach services from partners such as NHS Sexual Health and Vaccines.
To find out more please contact Lorraine Bleasdale, VCHP Clinic Development Manager – North, at: Lorraine.bleasedale@vchp.org.uk
