Vision Care for Homeless People launches charity appeal

Vision Care for Homeless People has launched its 2021 Christmas appeal, highlighting the challenges faced by the charity through the pandemic, and the progress made as it seeks to re-establish and expand its clinics. 

The ‘When I needed a neighbour’ appeal aims to raise funds to help support the operation of VCHP’s clinics in 2022.

Brighton College Choir recorded a performance of the hymn, ‘When I needed a neighbour,’ to a series of video clips from VCHP clinics, in support of the charity appeal.

Announcing the charity appeal, VCHP shared that it comes after “a particularly tough two years” through the challenges of the pandemic, explaining that during this period, the free clinics for homeless people had to close, “meaning that the people we expected to help missed out on getting the eye care they need.”

“We know the many challenges of homelessness are compounded by poor eyesight, so we have been working hard to re-establish our clinics, welcoming back our volunteers to our clinics, and opening our doors to patients once more,” the charity shared.

VCHP has also been expanding in new areas, with plans in progress to open new clinics in Gloucester, and Stratford in East London.

“Christmas 2021 is a time when we want to acknowledge how hard it has been, but also celebrate the progress we are making and ask for help from our generous supporters so we can be there for homeless people in the coming year,” the charity concluded.

The launch of the appeal followed an online event, VCHP Building Our Community in 2022, which brought together volunteers, supporters and trustees from the charity.

The event laid out details for the 2022 Optoversity Challenge, set to be held as an online event for UK optometry students on 27 February.

The charity also outlined its plans to reach 40% of the homeless community, with details of the new clinics in development.

Watch the Christmas campaign, ‘When I needed a neighbour’, sung by Brighton College Choir on Youtube.