Alnwick optician makes almost 3,000 glasses for key workers during lockdown

Grant Welsh, store director at Specsavers in Bondgate, has manufactured glasses for around 20 Specsavers stores across the UK since the beginning of lockdown.

He manufactured 2,810 glasses from a laboratory in the Alnwick store, while also carrying out urgent glasses repairs and glazing services.

Grant said: “These are very challenging times for us all. I’ve always been here for the local community in Alnwick and with everything going on at the moment I’m determined to do all that I can for the greater good.

“I’ve been working in the lab manufacturing glasses since I was a teen, but never quite to this scale.

“Since lockdown began, I’ve made thousands of specs for Specsavers stores across the UK - many of the orders have been for frontline staff who urgently needed glasses in order to carry out vital work to the best of their ability.

“I’m proud to have been able to help key workers in recent weeks and am delighted that now moving forward we will start seeing more customers in store with the easing of lockdown restrictions in England.”

Grant has also been dropping off glasses, contact lenses and hearing aid batteries to the homes of those who are vulnerable or self-isolating in the region – racking up 1,000 miles on deliveries in the last few weeks.

Grant added: “We have been working round the clock to ensure that we are here to help those who may need us - answering calls and helping patients through telephone consultations and remote care, while also carrying out repairs and delivering to people’s doorsteps, in line with social distancing rules.

“The current pandemic has changed how everyone operates on a day-to-day basis, but eye health remains a constant. If you need an urgent consultation because your condition is causing you distress, or preventing you from functioning as you normally would without our help, please call the store in the first instance.”

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