28 March 2025
A team of 14 Vision Care for Homeless People (VCHP) staff and supporters raised £11,500 in an overnight fundraising walk on 14 March.
The London Walk, organised by London Homeless Collective, takes place annually to raise money for various charities that support homeless people in the capital.
The London Homeless Collective is a group of more than 25 charities that are all working to end homelessness in London.
Around 200 supporters representing 17 charities joined the 2025 walk.
VCHP has raised £11,500 via the 2025 event so far, from 330 donors. It was the first time the charity had taken part in the event.
Participants set off from St Martin in-the-Fields church in Trafalgar Square just before 8pm, and were able to choose from three routes: a 10k, a half marathon, and a full marathon.
A cold weather protocol to safeguard rough sleepers was in place on the night, meaning that the St Martin in-the-Fields Connection day centre was open throughout the night as the walk took place.
“The day centre was being used by rough sleepers as well, which really highlighted what we all there for,” Alison Gordon, community and corporate fundraiser at VCHP, said.
She added: “It was a really nice atmosphere, with all of us walking together.”
Breakfast was served to the marathon finishers on their return to St Martin in-the-Fields at 5am.
VCHP taking part in the London Homeless Collective London Walk 2025
David Brown, development director at VCHP, has worked for the charity for almost 12 years.
Brown chose the full marathon route, raising almost £1600 individually for the charity. He predicted that he walked 50,000 steps during the event.
The event provided “an opportunity to focus on all the different needs of people who are affected by homelessness,” Brown told OT.
He added: “We’re one facet of that. Eye care is important for people who are trying to work their way out of a homeless situation, but the other charities provide different services.
“The message is that a holistic approach is needed, because they need supporting in many different ways.”
Brown also thanked those who donated.
“These sorts of events give quite a nice focus, every now and then, to go out and contact all the old colleagues and the partners and the supporters from across the optical industry and outside that, and ask them to sponsor us. It was good for us,” he said.
He added: “It’s also good for our volunteer teams to do an activity together, to support the charity.”
Brown and Gordon were joined by founder of VCHP and current trustee, Elaine Styles, and the charity’s CEO, Hannah Telfer, along with volunteers and their friends and families.
Representatives from Thea, which is supporting VCHP as its chosen charity this year, also joined the group.
Gordon said: “It was the first time we had taken part, but it really chimed for us. Working together is very much the VCHP way: we do things in partnership with other charities.
“All of our eye clinics are based in homeless services around the country. It’s only through partnership that we can provide the service that we do. It was a good match up for us.”
Brown’s fundraising page can be viewed here, while the VCHP page can be viewed here.
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