Keep Feeding the Recycling Lion

For over thirty years, our Club has been collecting used and unwanted pairs of spectacles and hearing aids across the Tendring Area.  The spectacles are sorted and graded and then sent out to the Third World by Lions organisations based in France.  Those spectacles that are not suitable for re-use are broken up for spares or recycling – no part is wasted.  Funds are sometimes raised from any precious metals recovered which are donated to vision related projects at a local level.

Similarly the old Hearing Aids are sent away for refurbishment before again being sent out to those in need in the Third World.

During the year to the end of June 2025, we have collected over 19,000 spectacles and forwarded these to a Lions sorting centre with more awaiting shipment later in the year and we have handed over 3,200 printer ink cartridges which raise money for our own charitable funds. 

You can find our Collection Bins in over 40 locations across the Tendring Area from Brightlingsea to Harwich, from Clacton on Sea to Manningtree. To find a location near you just click here for a comprehensive list.  We also collect used batteries especially hearing aid “button” batteries and in the year to June 2025 we collected around 12,000 batteries.

The photograph below shows the result of three months collections of spectacles (over 10,000) boxed up ready for despatch. There is also a selection of mobile phones ready for recycling.