World Jewish Relief has received heartfelt thanks from a beneficiary of its optical project, supplying spectacles to Jewish communities across Eastern Europe.

In 12 years, the project, established by retired opticians Harry Heber and David Goldman, has assisted more than 50,000 people in countries such as Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus.

One recent recipient was eight-year-old Sergey Beloshkurski, whose family lived in Israel until he suffered a stroke. His mother Ludmila, a cancer patient, took him to Kishinev, Moldova, to receive treatment.

Mother-and-son live with her parents and the family has to survive on a small pension.

They are reliant on WJR food packages and the charity has now provided Sergey with spectacles, improving his quality of life by enabling him to read books and play sports with his friends.

"I'm thankful for the gift of these spectacles," he said.

"It will help me so much and I do not know what life would be like without them now."

Mr Heber noted that "good eyesight is something we take for granted.

"Items such as glasses, which we consider a necessity, are to many people an unobtainable luxury. I am delighted that we have been able to help so many people."