Page 14 - link magazine

Community News

Volunteers needed to make Swindon an even better place for the hard of hearing
North Swindon MP and Minister for we’ve managed to raise awareness
Disabled People Justin Tomlinson of how important and quite easy it
met up with members of Let’s Loop is to make things better for people
Swindon before Christmas for an wearing hearing aids.”
update about their work to make CEO of Hearing Link, Dr Lorraine
the town more friendly for people Gailey said Swindon is a leader
with hearing impairment. across Britain in adopting hearing
The group has established the loops. “We support groups in 18
town as a UK leader in ensuring towns actively promoting hearing
public premises have functioning loops and Swindon is by far the
hearing loop equipment which helps best in ensuring that people with
people wearing aids communicate hearing loss can participate in the
more easily when out and about. community and enjoy life to the
Over the last three years full. It’s only when people act that
hearing aid wearers accompanied you get change on the ground and
by volunteers have carried out Let’s Loop Swindon has shown
approximately 300 surveys at shops, how to bring organisations, people
banks, pharmacies and public using hearing aids and volunteers Justin Tomlinson MP with a hearing loop and Let’s Loop volunteers
buildings to find out if installed together to make things happen.” including Lin Barker, left, and council representatives and Dr Lorraine
equipment is working. To promote the project New Gailey of Hearing Link, right. Below, Lin with Robert Buckland MP
Let’s Loop committee member College TV production students who uses a loop at his surgeries
Rosemarie Phillips said: “My role have made a short film scripted
is to check if my hearing aid is by Let’s Loop member Lin Barker of an inclusive society and with to improve their facilities.
picking up what shopkeepers or and starring Kayleigh Williams the spending power of disabled Let’s Loop Swindon chair Tim
pharmacists are saying. Sometimes from Freshbrook which shows the households calculated at £212 Mason, who coordinates volunteers
you see a sign in the shop window difficulties of living with hearing billion, making shops accessible is through Rotary Community Corps,
saying a hearing loop is installed impairment and the difference good for business too. I don’t think said: “It’s exciting that Swindon is
and discover it isn’t, or it’s badly hearing loops make to people’s lives. retailers deliberately keep loop a champion town for hearing loops.
positioned, it’s not turned on or the Lloyds Pharmacy provided the set equipment in poor condition, but But to ensure we provide the very
batteries have run out, or staff don’t where the film was made. they need to realise that somebody best service possible, we need more
know how to use it. Sometimes the Justin Tomlinson said he is in their organisations should have volunteers able to visit premises to
loop is working well but there isn’t proud that Let’s Loop Swindon responsibility for ensuring hearing make checks and advise how shop
a sign telling customers that it’s is at the forefront of ensuring loops are available. And if they’re keepers and building managers
available. places provide a better service. not providing a good service to can make sure their equipment is
“By carrying out these audits “Hearing loops are a vital part people with disabilities they’ll lose available at all times.”
trade and reputation.” Find out more by contacting Tim.
In his role as disabilities minister [email protected]
Justin agreed to write a joint Watch the New College video at:
letter with Dr Gailey to the chief http://bit.ly/letsloopswindon
executives of major supermarkets, www.1100rotaryeclub.org/lets-loop-
to encourage them to listen to calls swindon

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14 swindonlink.com n February 2016