BIRTHDAY celebrations at Specsavers Staines went with a bang, with a two-day extravaganza which took on a spooky Halloween theme, enticing customers, shoppers and their children to take part in the various fundraising activities.
Joining in were Specsavers CEO John Perkins, Dementia Ambassador for Surrey, Nathan Hartley, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People charity Ambassador, Sue and her dog Kristoff, plus representatives from Visit Staines.
Central to the two days of birthday celebrations was fundraising, with face painters, kids’ mystery Halloween bags and a competition to guess the name of the Hearing Dog, Kristoff, along with another fundraiser for would be mathematicians, guessing the number of contact lenses in a jar, plus a raffle of Specsavers care packages.
Helen Belkhodja, retail director at Specsavers Staines, said: It’s an incredibly important celebration for all of us, so being able to mark our 25 years in this way is wonderful, as well as being able to make a difference to the two charities we fundraised for over the two days.
‘We’re also very grateful to our long-serving customers who have helped to shape the store over the years. We’re delighted that a number of them were able to join us and take part in our birthday celebrations.’
The Specsavers Staines team also hosted a market stall in partnership with Nathan Hartley, who discussed dementia with customers and shoppers, and there was a lucky dip, with winners receiving Specsavers vouchers. In addition, children had the chance to design and craft their very own pair of spectacles and then proudly wear them.
All funds raised went to Dementia UK and the Hearing Dogs for Deaf People charity, which helps deaf people to reconnect with life and leave loneliness behind, by training puppies to alert deaf people to important daily and life-saving sounds, including a doorbell and danger signals, such as a fire alarm.
Sameer Budhdev, ophthalmic director, said: ‘As a team we are extremely proud to be part of the Staines community, delivering a high standard of clinical care and customer service.
‘Indeed, we have been nominated for the Staines upon Thames Business Awards, including the Retail Excellence Award, Best Business in Staines and Laleham and the Best Franchise – so we are all thrilled to be making such a difference.
‘Today we are absolutely delighted to have shared this key anniversary with John Perkins, Sue, Kristoff and Nathan, plus Visit Staines, and of course our customers, their families and our store team, of whom we are very proud.’
Specsavers Staines offers customers access to state-of-the-art pre-room testing diagnostic equipment, including a visual fields analyser and OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) examination.

The OCT, which is hospital grade advanced diagnostic, eye-scanning equipment, helps detect serious eye conditions, including glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, up to four years earlier than traditional methods, and is currently on offer at the reduced price of just £5.
In addition, there are five test rooms, plus one audiology room, dedicated diagnostic testing areas and specific contact lens stations offering enhanced facilities to customers. The store operates 35 sight clinics a week. Opening times are Monday to Saturday, 8am to 6pm, and Sunday from 8.30am until 5.30pm.
During an eye test, Specsavers’ optometrists will assess your vision as well as check the overall health of your eyes, so it’s important to have regular eye tests, even if you aren’t experiencing any eye issues or symptoms.

To book in for a sight or hearing test, you can contact Specsavers Staines on 01784 493355. Alternatively, you can book online at https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/staines