The charity Sightsavers has launched an online auction called Specs Appeal.
Helping to promote the Sightsavers auction of celebrity glasses is photographer of the cool and famous, Rankin.
A patron of the charity himself, Rankin has snapped kid-versions of celebrities donning shades donated by the real celebrity. Mini-Michael Caine, anyone?
The auction runs from 4th–13th August on Ebay and this year 17 celebrities donated a pair of their glasses.
The public can bid to own their favourite star’s glasses. All while helping raise money for Sightsavers to continue its work in preventing blindness and visual impairment in some of the world’s poorest countries.
The list of donors includes model Kate Moss, who donated a pair of designer shades with a note saying, “It spreads the love, Kate.” Liam Gallagher also donated a pair of his famous John Lennon round-style glasses. Other givers include Sarah Jessica Parker, Annie Lennox and Lewis Hamilton.
Actor Bill Nighy added a handwritten note to accompany his Clubmaster-style specs that says: “These glasses were worn in ‘The Girl in the Café’, one of my favourite films. They have special powers beyond just allowing you to see where you’re going.”
There are 39 million people in the world who are blind. Sightsavers work in over 30 countries across Africa and Asia, including Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. It aims to help blind people see again and prevent people from going blind where possible. According to the charity, 80% of blindness in the world is avoidable. While as little as £30 can fund life changing cataract surgery and restore a person’s vision.
Mike Straney, Director of Major Giving at Sightsavers says that “the money raised from the auction could help the millions of people in developing countries who need glasses. Yet a lack of ophthalmologists, a shortage of equipment or simply a lack of money often means they cannot get the help they need. Without glasses, they’re unable to see clearly, which affects their livelihood, their education and their quality of life.”
The only thing we see in all this is a good cause.
