A COMPANY has lent its support to an overseas charity after being inspired by an employee.

Specsavers opticians, in Durham, has donated £500 to Vision Aid Overseas following a mercy mission on behalf of the organisation by Priya Almani, an optometrist at the branch.

Ms Almani spent almost two weeks in Uganda, visiting five villages offering free eye tests and spectacles.

Her group took thousands of old frames, many donated by Specsavers customers, to distribute in the country, which only has a handful of opticians.

When Ms Almani returned, colleagues were so moved by her description of the plight of Ugandans that the company's directors decided to make a donation to the charity.

Director Brian Kidney said: "Priya's visit brought home to us the fact that people's lives are changed for the better because of the help Vision Aid provides."

Ms Almani, whose African clients included a 13-year boy whose bad eyesight was affecting his education, accepted a cheque on behalf of the charity.