A week of news – green carpet treatment

This week presented a chance to attend one of the most glamorous events in the optical calendar as Specsavers hosted its annual Spectacle Wearer of the Year Awards.

Upon arrival at Battersea Power Station it was a relief to step on the green carpet and join a party made up of award hopefuls from various regions of the UK.

There was also a list of celebrity spectacle wearers in attendance, including Jenny Frost, Sid Owen, Dionne Bromfield and Tina O'Brien, who will be delighted with the tabloid exposure this event always guarantees.

Corporate colours again prevailed as Coronation Street-famed Helen Flanagan wore a dark green dress to present the awards and X Factor contestant Marcus Collins, who was a judge, dyed his hair green.

This, together with Gok Wan’s established role as host, makes Spectacle Wearer of the Year an extremely worthwhile exercise for Specsavers. More importantly, this kind of exposure helps elevate the appeal of spectacles as a fashion item.

Celebrities aside, it was Ireland’s Maria Gildea (pictured) who was the real star on Tuesday night, after heralding from ‘a tiny village surrounded by fields’ to take the top prize in spectacle modelling.

By Joe Ayling.