Optical Express, entered a football team in the STV Children’s Appeal Football Cup to raise money to tackle child poverty in Scotland. The Football Cup sees businesses from all over Scotland pay money to enter a team, where funds raised go towards the Appeal.
The STV Children's Appeal was set up in 2011 to help the one in four Scottish children who live in poverty. It provides practical help such as heating and food as well as social and emotional support networks. In just 12 years, the Appeal has managed to raise over £30 million.
Optical Express have been supporting the STV Children’s Appeal since it launched. Over the years, volunteers from Optical Express’ fully staffed call centre have provided their time to process telephone donations from viewers watching the live STV Children’s Appeal TV show hosted by Lorraine Kelly, playing a key role in the success of the charity.
As well as providing the call centre and entering The Football Cup, staff from Optical Express have also taken part in fundraising events such as sponsored bike rides, bake sales and dress down days throughout the year to help raise vital funds for the appeal. Optical Express have supported the charity with financial donations in excess of £100,000 plus a further donation in kind of over £100,000.
Elizabeth Partyka from The STV Children's Appeal said, "It was great to see Optical Express enter a team in the STV Children’s Appeal Football Cup. We have had immeasurable support from Optical Express over the years and it was great to see them participating in such a fun, active way of raising money for the Appeal.
“The STV Children’s Appeal helps children and young people all over Scotland and values the contribution of our donors greatly. The efforts of the team at Optical Express has been an asset to the Appeal and it’s been a joy to see the staff get so involved.”
Chairman and CEO at Optical Express, David Moulsdale, also said: “Optical Express is a business that is proud of its Scottish roots and we are delighted to support the STV Children’s Appeal which directly improves the lives of children in Scotland daily. Having supported the Appeal over a number of years, we see the great work that comes from it and we are delighted that each year staff are so eager to get involved. It's such a worthy cause that helps provide our young people with practical and emotional support, allowing them to get more out of life."
Optical Express are proud to have supported hundreds of humanitarian and philanthropic projects for more than 30 years, donating over £33 million and counting to worthwhile causes in the UK and abroad. Most recently Optical Express relaunched its ‘Thanks a Million’ campaign to provide £1 million of free laser eye surgery to NHS and emergency workers.