Rotary Hearing Ambassadors are on a mission to help meeting and event organisers communicate better with those who have hearing loss.
Hearing Ambassadors recently held their first session to promote good practises across the East Midlands and South Yorkshire, as the hard of hearing are often disadvantaged when in formal groups, meetings and events.
Fifteen volunteers, mainly Rotarians, from across the East Midlands and South Yorkshire from Doncaster in the North to Burton in the south attended. The venue just off M1 Junction 28 South In Derbyshire was fairly central. and the group included one non Rotarian, an audiologist from Sheffield.
Burton Rotarian and Hearing Ambassador trainer, Rosie Dixon, lead the session which including exercises such as, ‘Chinese whispers’ with interesting, telling and very useful results noted by the volunteers. Sitting back to back to have a conversation demonstrated hearing loss issues. The ‘Hearing Ambassador’ volunteers Rotarians together with the audiologist from Sheffield had their awareness raised and shown techniques of good practise to demonstrate to others, including best use of sound systems and microphones.
Hearing Ambassador Trustee Gillian Campbell of the Rotary Club of Hope Valley, Derbyshire, whose husband Andrew as significant hearing loss, said, “It’s really is about being aware of the isolating effects of hearing loss; being open to the needs of hearing impaired; and being patient and thoughtful when speaking to people who may include those with heating loss.”
At the end of the session members were each given a Rotary Hearing Ambassadors badge as they go out into the regions to promote hearing awareness both at Rotary Clubs and other organisations in their area using a presentation pack prepared by Rotary Hearing Ambassadors.
Anyone interested in either becoming a ‘Hearing Ambassador’ or having a talk should contact Gillian Campbell by email: [email protected] OR through Facebook – hearing ambassadors
