AN Oxford teenager has collected hundreds of used spectacles to donate to children in Africa.

Lewis Harvey worked with Specsavers in Cowley on the project, with staff sorting and grading each pair in preparation for the 17-year-old's trip to Western Kenya.

He has now left Oxford armed with a suitcase of specs to hand over to Kenyan schools to help improve eye care and visual health within the region’s communities.

Along with six other youngsters from Blackbird Leys, Lewis is currently visiting Kenya as part of Youth Challenge Oxfordshire's (YoCO) Exit7 programme which helps 14-21 year-olds develop skills to overcome challenges facing today’s youngsters.

The 10-day trip will see him carrying out charity work alongside Abingdon charity The Nasio Trust, which focusses on tackling poverty in Kenya.

Roy Midwinter, store manager at Specsavers Cowley, said: "YoCO's work and Lewis’s commitment to The Nasio Trust is an inspiration.

"We’re delighted to be able to support both charities through help from our customers in the area and are looking forward to hearing all about Lewis’s experience on his return.’

YoCO is a registered charity that runs a 15-month programme for vulnerable young people with weekly meetings led by two group leaders.

Each young person is helped to fund raise £800 for their Kenyan project and encouraged to take an extra suitcase of donations with them.

Christine Douglas from YoCO said: "With the help of Specsavers Cowley, Lewis filled his suitcase with spectacles which was entirely his own idea.

"Once the group are back they are encouraged to continue to work with the next YoCO group and to volunteer in their own community.

"YoCO also works with them to engage in further education and employment."