Surrey optometrist inspired by Indian heritage supports interfaith charity in Pune

Sister Lucy was meeting optometrist Mital Patel, who presented her with the artwork for her charity, Maher, which is based in Pune, in the Indian State of Maharashtra.

Mital, who is an optometrist and director at the Specsavers Walton-on-Thames store, was commissioned to create the artwork by Sister Lucy’s host family the Shahs, with the aim of reflecting the charity’s inclusivity and interfaith philosophy.

He says: ‘I felt very inspired by Sister Lucy’s work, combined with the heritage of my parents who originate from Gujarat in India. Also, I have a personal interest in interfaith art, so it was a perfect link for me, when I was asked to create a logo for Maher as a gift from Mr and Mrs Shah.

‘Having been fortunate to study and train to become an optometrist and a Specsavers store partner here in the UK, my heritage has always made me very aware of the inequalities around the world, and especially in India. So, I was delighted to be asked to create a piece of artwork for Maher representing interfaith and unity across all classes.

‘As an organisation, Specsavers employs people from many faiths and nationalities, so we are a highly inclusive business that encourages learning and appreciation of people from many diverse backgrounds, something of which I am very proud.’

Established over 27 years ago, Maher (meaning ‘My mother's home’ in the Marathi language) offers short and long stay homes for women, children and men who are destitute, orphaned, mentally ill and frail and who need refuge and safety. Over the years it has grown and now offers homes in Jharkhand, Kerala, West Bengal, Karnataka, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh.

Maher’s mission is to ‘create secure and loving homes for children, women and men, and enable women to discover their power within and develop self-reliance’.

While staying in the ‘safe’ homes, everyone is offered support, training, guidance and advice around finding a job, self-care plus equipping them with the skills and confidence to return to day-to-day life outside of the refuge.

In recognition of her tireless work, Sister Lucy has received many awards, including Vanitha Woman of the Year and the Leadership Award at the Global Women's Summits.

The Maher logo artwork created by Mital took two months to design and create, using acrylic paint. It was layered with glow in the dark paint to show how light can be found in the dark and has been reproduced on a 12-inch vinyl record, adding to its uniqueness. You can view more artwork relating to Maher: https://www.artbymital.com/

To support Maher, the team at Specsavers Walton-on-Thames have been fundraising in-store and a JustGiving page has been set up with the aim of raising £500. This money would enable Sister Lucy and her team to provide extra resources for their growing community. To support the charity, you can donate in-store or online: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/sisterlucymaher

To ensure your eyesight is in tip top condition for those creative past-times, you can call the team at Specsavers Walton-on-Thames on 01932 251960 or book an appointment online: https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/waltononthames

During an eye test, Specsavers' optometrists will assess your vision as well as check the overall health of your eyes so it’s important to have regular eye tests, even if you aren’t experiencing any eye issues or symptoms.