Local Optician Investing Back Into South Tyneside

S Walton Eyecare is the oldest established community optical practice in South Tyneside.

It has been looking after the eye health of local people from the same premises at the top of Stanhope Road in South Shields since 1926.

Originally Sidney Walton Opticians, the business was taken over by optometrist Kaye Winship in 2007 and has continued to offer an independent and affordable personalised service to clients since.

As the business approaches its centenary, it is embarking on an exciting programme of investment which has seen the recent addition of a second consulting room enabling additional appointment slots, the introduction of a new state-of-the-art eye scanner and new audiology and podiatry services.  The business intends to convert more rooms in the building to provide more accessible patient space, and improve its industrial eyecare offering which gives all Pledge members discounted rates.

Kaye Winship, Director of S Walton Eyecare said:

“Giving back to the community that has supported our practice for nearly 100 years is very important to the S Walton Eyecare team, and one of the main reasons the business has signed the South Tyneside Pledge”.

Kaye explains:

“The business supports the local community in a number of ways, such as sponsoring local community groups, and is about to embark on a collaboration with the Mixed Martial Arts centre ACE MMA social enterprise based at the top of Stanhope Road.

“We arrange seasonal and needs-based collections for the Key to Life Foodbank and provide eye examinations for fellow Pledgee Emmaus North East’s residents. These examples of working with local organisations and volunteering are key parts of the South Tyneside Pledge, hence the reason the company signed up.”

As part of the Lions InSight programme, the business collects old glasses and passes them onto this charity which redistributes them to the Third World or recycles them.

In a bid to educate the wider community about the importance of eyecare they give educational talks to local primary schools and community groups such as Diabetes UK and Arts4Wellbeing.

They also run a health and wellbeing page on Facebook to share advice – to join and post anything that contributes to the health and wellbeing of the people of South Tyneside follow Health & Wellbeing in South Tyneside | Facebook

Cllr Paul Dean, Lead Member for Voluntary Sector, Partnerships and Equalities, said:

“S Walton Eyecare is a real success story, having been a South Shields institution for almost one hundred years.

“It has grown and evolved but has remained true to its roots and continues to play a big role in the community. Thank you for signing the Pledge.”

For further information about  the Pledge, visit investsouthtyneside.com/why-south-tyneside/south-tyneside-pledge/