Marking four years of success with Specsavers

Marking four years of success with Specsavers

This Christmas, we celebrate four incredible years of partnership with Specsavers. Over this time, Specsavers have pledged over one million pounds in donations, and our collaboration has grown into a strategic alliance, breaking down barriers to healthcare and supporting inclusion health for people experiencing homelessness across the country. As we reflect on 2025, we want to highlight some of the standout moments that have made this partnership so impactful.

Increasing Eye and Ear Health Clinics
A key highlight of this year has been the continued rollout of Specsavers’ eye and ear care clinics across Crisis Skylights in England and Wales. Building on the success of previous clinics, Specsavers teams have delivered 100 sessions, supported over 550 people and providing more than 250 pairs of glasses. These clinics do more than improve vision, they help people navigate daily life with greater ease and support them to take vital steps out of homelessness.

“Both my son Stefan and I have been volunteering for Crisis for the past two years. We have come to appreciate that dedicating our professional time coupled with the excellent support provided by the Specsavers homeless team we are able to help those experiencing homelessness which is both humbling and rewarding, especially when we see how a pair of spectacles can positively change lives. 
While providing eye healthcare, we enjoy having good conversations with the people we assist and learning about their lives. It’s always fulfilling to give back.”

- Ab Roy, Specsavers Optometrist and regular Crisis Volunteer.

Colleague Engagement: Going Above and Beyond
Specsavers volunteers provide hands-on support throughout the year, and their fundraising efforts are equally impressive. From running half and full marathons, to setting up charity stalls in their stores and even hosting choirs, Specsavers staff have raised vital funds to support Crisis services.

Specsavers colleagues are also always keen to learn more about the factors driving homelessness in the UK, with multiple colleagues having received Crisis Homelessness Awareness Training. Click here to see what a trip to their Guernsey office looked like!

Expanding Wellbeing and Member Activities

Back in 2024, Specsavers funded the launch of a dedicated wellbeing floor at the Edinburgh Skylight, featuring a permanent eye care clinic ran by Vision Care and enabling a range of new activities for our members. This has brought people together in a safe and welcoming space. Starting this December, we will also host monthly Street Barber sessions offering free haircuts for people experiencing homelessness, delivered by Invisible Cities.

Driving Employment and Inclusion
This year also brought the exciting news that Specsavers joined the Crisis Homelessness Alliance. Through this work, they’ve raised awareness, adopted fairer recruitment practices, and created meaningful employment opportunities for people with lived experience of homelessness. So far, three people were hired into roles within Specsavers stores, opening new pathways into work and long-term stability.

At our Homelessness Alliance anniversary event in October, we celebrated these achievements at our first-ever Achievement Awards. Specsavers proudly received the Community Catalyst Award for bringing free eye and hearing care to people experiencing homelessness through their pop-up clinics.

Looking Ahead to Christmas 2025
We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with Specsavers for the 2025 festive season. Volunteers from Specsavers will support 13 clinics organised by Vision Care in our Day Centres and Hotels and provide 9 ear-health checks at 6 locations across London. In addition to this, 16 eye and ear clinics will run across Crisis Skylights, supported by Specsavers volunteers, between December and January.

Beyond these vital clinics, Specsavers continues to strengthen our overall healthcare provision by funding our dental services from Dentaid and contributing to the medical budget for Crisis at Christmas 2025. This is in addition to the year-round clinics that Specsavers run in our skylights across the UK.

We are deeply grateful to Specsavers for their ongoing commitment to breaking down barriers and bringing accessible eye care to people experiencing homelessness. Together, we continue to make a meaningful difference, one person at a time.