VAO closes eyewear recycling scheme

Vision Aid Overseas (VAO) has ended its eyewear recycling scheme because it did not raise enough money to cover the costs of delivering eye health work in Africa.

The charity said that over 3.2m spectacles were collected each year in 2,000 participating UK optical practices or sent in by the public but would now focus on other fundraising work.

Rises in operational costs and fluctuating income has led the charity to close the scheme with a planned closure at the end of 2020 brought forward by coronavirus.

Nicola Chevis, CEO at VAO, said: ‘We must have recycled over 30m pairs of glasses and raised many hundreds of thousands of pounds, money which I know personally has been put to good use, funding eye health for people in Africa. We are very grateful to everyone who has helped so far by donating used glasses. But it is time to change.’