AN OPTICIAN will be crossing continents to train medical professionals with international charity Vision Aid Overseas.

Humma Khalid, who works at Specsavers Keighley, will travel to Zambia with the charity in September. She will help to train medical professionals and tend to the eye health of several hundred people in schools, hospitals and prisons.

She said: "Thanks to the thousands of donations from people here in Keighley and across the country, we were able to provide much needed help to hundreds of people in Zambia.

"What’s more, by training local nurses and clinical officers, we will leave a legacy of better provision for eye care. We often take our vision and eye health for granted, but a simple thing like supplying a pair of glasses can have a huge impact on someone’s life."

"Local businesses have been very generous in donating prizes for a raffle and equally, Specsavers Keighley in agreeing to host both the raffle and a Safari Style Fun Day. I’d like to thank everyone who has donated so far."

Humma has set up a fundraising page through Vision Aid Overseas, where she has raised just over half of her target of £2,000.

All the collected glasses are recycled and the money made is used to help provide optical services in developing countries.

Working with Vision Aid Overseas, staff and customers at Specsavers Keighley have shown their generosity by bringing a record-number of old glasses to the store for donation over the past year.

Keighley store director, Raj Gill, said: "The campaign this year has been a massive success thanks to our very kind and generous customers bringing in their old glasses. Every single one will make a difference.

"These donations and Vision Aid Overseas can make a difference to people’s lives who need it the most. We are thankful to our customers and the public for supporting Humma, the store and the charity."

VAO has been Specsavers international eyecare charity since 2008. The group has raised over £600,000 for Zambian eye care including an optometry technologists training course at the Chainama College of Health Sciences in Lusaka, 10 staffed vision centres across Zambia and a national eyecare outreach programme.

The raffle will be drawn on Saturday 10th August 2019 at Specsavers Keighley.

If you would like to support Humma, donate through Vision Aid Overseas https://www.visionaidoverseas.org/fundraisers/humma-khalid or visit Specsavers Keighley to donate unwanted glasses.