Specsavers has always been smart in and around its sponsorship of sport with Hawkeye through the GAA and referees in rugby the main areas of involvement.

They have dipped into sport again this week using Irish international and Connacht rugby player, Kieran Marmion to launch Specsavers first ever Kids Spectacle Wearer of the Year Awards.

The competition looks to celebrate children in Ireland who wear glasses with pride, to help remove any stigma to needing specs.

“From my own experience, I know children can feel embarrassed when they first put on a pair of frames, worrying about what people might say or think,” said Marmion who has himself worn glasses since he was nine years old.

Marmion’s first sporting passion was for cricket but without wearing glasses he would have had to sacrifice it.

He was not keen at first and admitted that he would even shy away from being photographed in his specs as a child.

He has now joined up with Specsavers to stop other children from having a similar reaction to glasses as he did.

He now wears contact lenses on the rugby pitch and glasses when he is enjoying some downtime.

The competition is open to children aged four to 15 and Specsavers stores across Ireland are appealing for entries. All that is needed is an image of the child in their specs and a brief description of why they are happy to wear them.

The competition will help raise vital funds for Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin, with Specsavers donating €1 to the charity for every entry received. The winner will receive a trip for two adults and two children to Legoland Windsor, staying for two nights in the Legoland Hotel.

‘The competition is a fantastic platform for younger children as it recognises that kids should wear their glasses with pride and not be embarrassed when an optician prescribes you with a pair,” said Specsavers Chairperson Sinead Clohissey.

The closing date to enter the competition is midnight on Sunday, 10 September 2017, and the finalist will be chosen by a judging panel before Ireland’s Kids SWOTY is announced in September.