Spectacle Recycling in Helensburgh produces over 100 pairs of spectacles a month and since we commenced collections has provided approx 25000 pairs for recycling.
Collection boxes are located at The Medical Centre, Black and Lizars and Eyeware in the Square.
The spectacles are transported free of charge by Parcel Force to the UK Lions sorting depot operated by Chichester Lions Club. Spectacles undergo presorting where scratched and broken glasses are identified. These are sold for scrap and over the last 5 years this has generated over £200,000 for Lions Sightfirst and charities for the blind.
The suitable spectacles are then transported to a Medico France facility in Le Havre which takes in spectacles from all European clubs. The 300,000 annually supplied by UK Lions Clubs is over half of the total collected. The Centre grades them with a prescription and they are then dispatched to Lions Eyecamps, the charity Unite for Sight and to other Charities for the blind in Africa, Asia and other areas of the developing world. The feedback from these charities and end users is overwhelming.