Specsavers offers Big Issue sellers free eyecare

Big Issue vendor George Anderson used his voucher for new spectacles

All vendors of the magazine for homeless people are to be offered a £64 gift voucher to cover a sight test, an overall eye health optical coherence tomography (OCT) scan and eyewear. It also includes free ear wax removal.

The firm aims to break down the barriers people with no home face in getting healthcare. For many, a lack of permanent address prevents them from accessing the NHS. Alongside a partnership with the Big Issue, Specsavers will work with homelessness charity Crisis and deepen its long-standing partnership with Vision Care for Homeless People.

George Anderson, who sells the magazine outside London’s BBC Broadcasting House, was one of the first to benefit from the vouchers. George has had the same spectacles for 15 years.

He said: “My glasses are falling apart, and they slip off continuously. There’s no grip anymore. One day they blew off in the middle of Regent Street. Luckily, they were totally undamaged apart from a broken nose clip. 

“There have been disadvantages to having the same glasses because my eyes have changed. I find I’m having to peer over my specs rather than through them, particularly in dim light, if I’m using a card reader or selling the Big Issue at night.

“The primary reason for leaving it so long was just cost – I was fearful. I suppose there was a slight ignorance on my part. I never went into a place like Specsavers to enquire. I just assumed it was going to be too expensive for me to deal with.”

New spectacles would make a huge difference to George. He has a degree in science and before the pandemic hit was editing scientific articles on Biomedicine, but his old pair have made writing hard.

Steve Potter, who sells outside London’s Green Park tube station, said: “As you get older, you start to notice things get blurry. I had to hold the paper far away just to try to focus a bit. It was getting worse, and I was straining my eyes quite a lot. I was getting migraines, even when watching TV. I used to read papers and that, but I struggle now.

“This partnership is good for vendors. Maybe they’d be too shy before or couldn’t be bothered. But now they’ve got access to it, they can go and get their glasses.”

Russell Blackman, Big Issue Group managing director, said: “People that are experiencing homelessness often have significant eyecare needs and yet face considerable barriers in accessing the care they are entitled to. Our partnership with Specsavers will help to break down those barriers, ensuring our Big Issue vendors can access that essential eyecare provision.

“Improving eyecare is absolutely essential for skills building, confidence and finding work, so we are delighted to be working with Specsavers on this new initiative that will help to change lives through better sight.”

To read more about the new partnership please buy a magazine from your local seller or find out more at bigissue.com.