UK Council on Deafness

May 2003 Bulletin

In this Bulletin

• New Member
• Affiliates
• Deaf Awareness Week 2003

New Member

Welcome to this month's new members:

Home Counties Cochlear Implant Group HCCIG is a support group for implantees, their families and people awaiting an implant. Contact Jenny Burdge. HCCIG, 17a Maxim Road, Winchmore Hill, London, N21 1EY. Tel 020 8360 0514 Fax 020 8360 0514 Email hccig@hotmail.com

Jayne Beech Memorial Fund raises awareness of the range of treatments and therapies available for deaf people with cancer. Contact Lisa Warnock C/o Nottingham Deaf Centre, 22 Forest Road West, Nottingham, NG7 4EQ. Tel 0115 970 0516 Email lisaw@nottsdeaf.org.uk

Suffolk Deaf Association provide an Information Centre, Lipreading Classes, BSL Classes, Social Clubs, Communication Support, Church Services and Hearing Support Services. Contact Anne Orpin, Suffolk Deaf Association, 49 Fonnereau Road, Ipswich, IP1 3JN. Tel, Text & Fax 01473 251179 Email ipswichsda@tiscali.co.uk Website www.suffolkdeaf.org.uk

Affiliates

And welcome to this month's new Affiliated Organisations:

• Brent Social Services Deaf and Hard of Hearing Team
• Derby City Council Social Services
• London Borough of Greenwich Community Sensory Services Team
• South of England Cochlear Implant Centre

Affiliation is open to Voluntary Organisations, Public Sector Bodies and Companies that work with deaf people. Please contact us if your organisation would like to affiliate.

"LOOK AT ME"

Deaf Awareness Week 5th - 11th May 2003

This week it's the first Deaf Awareness Week by over fifty deaf charities and organisations under the umbrella of UK Council on Deafness. Deaf Awareness Week will involve a UK wide series of national and local events to raise awareness of the needs of deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK.

The "Look at me" theme aims to improve understanding of the different levels of deafness - from mild, hard of hearing to profound - by highlighting the benefits of different communication needs of deaf, deafened, deafblind and hard of hearing people, such as lipreading, hearing aids and sign language.

"UK Council on Deafness are delighted to launch a joint all-inclusive Deaf Awareness Week to promote the positive aspects of deafness, promote social inclusion and raise awareness of the huge range of local organisations that support deaf people and their family and friends."

Events taking place each day include:

Monday 5th: East Sussex Hearing Resource Centre Deaf Awareness Event; Merton Hard of Hearing Resource Centre Open Day; Mary Hare School for the Deaf Open Day

Tuesday 6th: West Sussex Deaf & Hard of Hearing Association Open Day; Leicestershire Centre for Deaf People Open Day; Cambridgeshire Deaf Association Deaf Awareness Event; RNID: Don't Lose the Music Campaign Launch

Wednesday 7th: Harding Housing Association Social Evening; Surrey Deaf Awareness Information Day; Loughborough Centre for Deaf People Open Day; RAD West Ham Deaf Awareness Day; deafPLUS Midlands Deaf Awareness Workshops; Norfolk Deaf Awareness Day

Thursday 8th: National Deaf Services Deaf Awareness Event; Edinburgh and East of Scotland Deaf Society Deaf Awareness Event; Greenwich Roadshow

Friday 9th: BDA Charter for BSL Conference; Wakefield Display Day; CAMTAD Deaf Awareness Sessions; Aberdeen and North East Deaf Society Deaf Awareness Training Day

Saturday 10th: Little Signers Group Coffee Morning; deaf buddies uk MEGA DISCO; Bedford Water Sports Festival; Face us "Safety Day"

Sunday 11th: Hearing Dogs for Deaf People Sponsored Walks; DELTA's Reigate to Brighton Bike Ride

And during the week the NDCS Listening Bus and the Hearing Concern Road Show will be travelling around the country.

On the dedicated Deaf Awareness Week website www.deafawarenessweek.org.uk you can find out all about the campaign including a diary of events giving details of over 100 events taking place across the country.

The campaign week will also be celebrating the proactive access policies implemented by major UK companies to ensure that deaf and hard of hearing people are treated fairly and have equal access. The Royal Shakespeare Company, Vodafone, Sadler's Wells Theatre, Toyota and B & Q are just a few participating in the week to offer useful examples for others to follow.

As the Royal Shakespeare Company explains: "Accessibility for all is paramount to us at the RSC. We are supporting Deaf Awareness Week to raise awareness of the types of facilities available to our audiences as well as other theatres in the hope that it opens up further developments in access for deaf and hard of hearing people."

A series of posters and an information leaflet have been developed to support the week's activities. The posters encourage people to look at someone who is deaf or hard of hearing when communicating, so that they can see peoples lips and facial expression. The leaflet displays interesting facts about deafness and gives examples of ways the public and businesses can become more accessible to deaf people. These materials have been distributed via national and local charities, NHS Audiology departments and schools as well as Boots Hearingcare, Boots opticians and pharmacies.

[back to top]

[Back to News Section]

UK Council on Deafness, Registered Charity Number 1038448

Your use of this site is in accordance with our Privacy Statement

© UK Council on Deafness, 2003-5.