Alex Barke of Stratford family optician ZEISS marks 30th anniversary with Chilterns 30 run for Warwickshire Vision - helping visually-impaired people

SUPPORTERS will be wishing Zeiss Vision + Eyecare marketing manager Alex Barke happy trails as he takes part in a run this Saturday (10th May) for a very worthy and appropriate cause.

The family-run optician, based on Church Street opposite New Place, is celebrating its 30 years of trading.

To mark the three decades Alex is running the Chiltern 30 – a 30km trail run through the beautiful woodland, hidden routes, up steep hills and through quaint villages of the Chilterns.

As well as enjoying the scenery, Alex hopes to raise as much money as possible for Warwickshire Vision, a charity that supports visually-impaired people across the county.

Formerly known as the Warwickshire Association for the Blind, the charity was formed in 1911, and has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of people living with sight loss.

Alex explained: “Warwickshire Vision helps people to lead fuller, more independent lives. As a family-run optical practice in Stratford, we’ve had the privilege of caring for generations of patients over the past 30 years, much like the sight-loss charity has served its community for decades. Our shared dedication to supporting those with visual impairments makes this cause especially close to our hearts.

“I want to raise as much money as possible so the charity can continue its vital work, providing essential services, from rehabilitation to social support.”

Alex works alongside his dad Alan and sister Emily, and they and the whole family – including Alex’s wife Natasha and young children, will be cheering him on.

“Training for this challenge has been a true family affair,” explained Alex. “My biggest little supporters, my children Penelope and Charlie, have joined me in the running pram (pushed by me, of course) on the shorter training runs, while my wife Sasha and the rest of the family have been cheering me on during the longer sessions. Most recently, they were all there at the finish line of the Stratford Half Marathon – a fantastic event and a real highlight of the year so far.”

You can donate at https://shorturl.at/iG9w0