A LONG-running Worcester charity move allows it to improve services for the deaf and hard of hearing reports the Worcester News (30/01/12).
Deaf Direct, which supports people in Worcester-shire, Herefordshire and Oxfordshire, has been based in Worcester since it was founded in 1935.
Today it will move from its Sansome Walk base and open the doors of its new premises at Vesta Tilley House in Lowesmoor. As well as disabled access and visitor parking, chief executive Philip Gerrard explained that the building is fully deaf-friendly – right down to the fire alarm system that has a flashing light in every room to alert those unable to hear it.
The move will also allow the charity to introduce new facilities and services over the coming months. As well as facilities for social groups and new confidential one-to-one advice rooms, it will have a range of equipment on display for clients to try out.
Mr Gerrard said: “We are pleased to be relocating to a more suitable building that will be deaf-friendly and allow us to offer many new services. “It will also help us to continue to campaign and promote the positive aspects of deafness and raise awareness of how we can help to support local deaf people, their families and friends. With one in seven people suffering hearing loss, most people know someone in their family, at work or socially who is affected.”
Its contact details will remain unchanged and it can be reached by calling 01905 746301, texting 07725 244127 or e-mailing info@deafdirect.org.uk
Showing posts with label Charity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Charity. Show all posts
Monday, 30 January 2012
Friday, 20 January 2012
Worlingham couple raise over £100,000 for Norfolk and Suffolk charities
A Waveney couple who have dedicated years of their lives to raising money for Norfolk and Suffolk charities are celebrating passing the £100,000 barrier writes Richard Wood for EDP24 (20/01/12).
Michael and Sylvia Porter, of Ellough Road, Worlingham, have spent many hours sorting through countless numbers of postcards as part of an effort to help deaf children across Norfolk. But they have also helped many more charities across the Waveney region with dog shows, talks, videos and books raising money for good causes since 1973.
And at the end of 2011 their annual count-up revealed that they have now raised a total of £101,531.87.
The couple are best known for selling postcards for the Norfolk Deaf Children’s Society. Every week Mrs Porter, 70, spends hours sorting through postcards that are donated at the offices of the EDP, in Norwich, and Radio Norfolk, or dropped off at their house. The postcards are divided into a number of categories, with particular ones kept aside for customers, while others taken to fairs where collectors buy them.
Mrs Porter inherited her father’s sister’s postcard collection in 1973, but the interest was only turned into a fundraising idea when the couple were inspired in 1981 by a friend’s deaf daughter.
They heard about the Norfolk Deaf Children’s Society’s work and started raising money for them by selling donated postcards. They made their first donation of £1.15 in 1981.
Decades later, they have helped to raise over £83,000 for the charity, and their efforts have been recognised with thank-you cards as well as an invitation to the Queen’s garden party at Buckingham Palace in 2004 and being awarded the Robert Ellwood Memorial Plate from Beccles Town Council.
Mr Porter, 74, said: “We don’t think about it, we’re just happy to be able to help people. We don’t set a target, we never have. We take life as it comes and do what we can while we can.”
Before this, the couple had already held other fundraising events after being inspired to help others when Mrs Porter’s father was ill. As keen members of the Norfolk and Norwich Canine Society they decided to hold a charity dog show in Beccles, and it proved so popular they continued from 1973 to 1984, raising money for a variety of charities including All Hallows Hospital in Ditchingham, the Friends of Beccles Hospital and the St John Ambulance.
Although they stopped to concentrate on the postcards, they have raised money for many other charities with talks about their postcards and books on Beccles and Bungay. Among the charities to benefit recently are Beccles May Centre, Waveney Stardust, Waveney Enterprise Workshop, Beccles Sea Cadets, Waveney Centre and Beccles Royal British Legion Welfare Fund.
Michael and Sylvia Porter, of Ellough Road, Worlingham, have spent many hours sorting through countless numbers of postcards as part of an effort to help deaf children across Norfolk. But they have also helped many more charities across the Waveney region with dog shows, talks, videos and books raising money for good causes since 1973.
And at the end of 2011 their annual count-up revealed that they have now raised a total of £101,531.87.
The couple are best known for selling postcards for the Norfolk Deaf Children’s Society. Every week Mrs Porter, 70, spends hours sorting through postcards that are donated at the offices of the EDP, in Norwich, and Radio Norfolk, or dropped off at their house. The postcards are divided into a number of categories, with particular ones kept aside for customers, while others taken to fairs where collectors buy them.
Mrs Porter inherited her father’s sister’s postcard collection in 1973, but the interest was only turned into a fundraising idea when the couple were inspired in 1981 by a friend’s deaf daughter.
They heard about the Norfolk Deaf Children’s Society’s work and started raising money for them by selling donated postcards. They made their first donation of £1.15 in 1981.
Decades later, they have helped to raise over £83,000 for the charity, and their efforts have been recognised with thank-you cards as well as an invitation to the Queen’s garden party at Buckingham Palace in 2004 and being awarded the Robert Ellwood Memorial Plate from Beccles Town Council.
Mr Porter, 74, said: “We don’t think about it, we’re just happy to be able to help people. We don’t set a target, we never have. We take life as it comes and do what we can while we can.”
Before this, the couple had already held other fundraising events after being inspired to help others when Mrs Porter’s father was ill. As keen members of the Norfolk and Norwich Canine Society they decided to hold a charity dog show in Beccles, and it proved so popular they continued from 1973 to 1984, raising money for a variety of charities including All Hallows Hospital in Ditchingham, the Friends of Beccles Hospital and the St John Ambulance.
Although they stopped to concentrate on the postcards, they have raised money for many other charities with talks about their postcards and books on Beccles and Bungay. Among the charities to benefit recently are Beccles May Centre, Waveney Stardust, Waveney Enterprise Workshop, Beccles Sea Cadets, Waveney Centre and Beccles Royal British Legion Welfare Fund.
Tuesday, 10 January 2012
Blind and deaf runner to get a helping hand
A DEAF and blind woman is training for the London Marathon tied to a friend who will be her guide for the 26 miles reports EDF24 (10/01/12).
Caroline Boulding, 40, from Dartford, faces a tougher challenge than most having been born deaf and gradually losing her sight since she was 26.
On Sunday, April 25 she is due to take part in her first marathon, guided by her work colleague friend Kerry Southwick, from Swanley.
The couple, who work at Acacia Fitness Centre in Dartford, will raise money for the deaf and blind charity Sense.
Caroline Boulding said: "I'm really pleased to be braving the London Marathon for Sense as it offers a vital lifeline to deaf and blind people, offering them support and skills to live as independently as possible. I would like to thank all of my friends who have sponsored me for my marathon run so far and I am still appealing for sponsorship for my run so please dig deep and support me today."
With very limited vision she can see only in a restricted form of tunnel vision. She suffers from a condition called Usher type 2 syndrome, meaning people are often born without hearing and gradually begin to lose their sight.
Acting as her eyes and ears during the race, her guide revealed the pair have been become quite an eye-catching sight in during training.
A spokesperson for Sense said: "They have both been training hard around Dartford and are getting a lot of attention. Kerry tells us they are turning a lot of heads and getting a lot of support during their training around Central Park."
Click here to sponsor them or to find out more about the charity visit Sense.
Caroline Boulding, 40, from Dartford, faces a tougher challenge than most having been born deaf and gradually losing her sight since she was 26.
On Sunday, April 25 she is due to take part in her first marathon, guided by her work colleague friend Kerry Southwick, from Swanley.
The couple, who work at Acacia Fitness Centre in Dartford, will raise money for the deaf and blind charity Sense.
Caroline Boulding said: "I'm really pleased to be braving the London Marathon for Sense as it offers a vital lifeline to deaf and blind people, offering them support and skills to live as independently as possible. I would like to thank all of my friends who have sponsored me for my marathon run so far and I am still appealing for sponsorship for my run so please dig deep and support me today."
With very limited vision she can see only in a restricted form of tunnel vision. She suffers from a condition called Usher type 2 syndrome, meaning people are often born without hearing and gradually begin to lose their sight.
Acting as her eyes and ears during the race, her guide revealed the pair have been become quite an eye-catching sight in during training.
A spokesperson for Sense said: "They have both been training hard around Dartford and are getting a lot of attention. Kerry tells us they are turning a lot of heads and getting a lot of support during their training around Central Park."
Click here to sponsor them or to find out more about the charity visit Sense.
Thursday, 5 January 2012
Fundraisers and four-legged friends get ‘waddling’
A CHRISTMAS “waddle” has raised more than £200 for charity reports the Spalding Guardian, Linconshire Free Press (04/01/12).
Organised by June Spouncer, who is a fundraiser for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, the two-mile walk at Frampton, attracted more than 100 people and their dogs.
Organised by June Spouncer, who is a fundraiser for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, the two-mile walk at Frampton, attracted more than 100 people and their dogs.
It raised £220, which will be split between Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and Macmillan Cancer Support.
June said: “It was the first time that we have done this and it was fantastic.
“The support we got was brilliant and we are delighted with the amount of money raised.
“People came from all over South Holland with their dogs which ranged from a little pug to a huge Irish wolfhound.”
Tuesday, 3 January 2012
Anne Diamond: Thirty years of wearing an earpiece for television has made me deaf
She’s one of Britain’s best-known television presenters, but Anne Diamond has admitted that using earpieces for nearly 30 years has left her deaf in one ear writes Ted Thornhill for the Daily Mail (03/01/12).
She made the startling revelation on a video she recorded for the website of charity Action On Hearing Loss.
She describes how having her ‘talkback’ devices – through which directors communicate with hosts – turned up too loudly have taken their toll on her hearing.
The 57-year-old, who rose to fame in the 1980s presenting Good Morning Britain for TV-am, said: ‘I have some form of hearing loss right now, after 25, nearly 30 years of wearing a television earpiece. It’s what we call a talkback and I’ve always had it rather too loud.
‘While I don’t need to wear a hearing aid right now, I have been warned that I probably will need one quite soon.’
She explains that around four million people in the UK have some form of hearing loss and would benefit from a hearing aid – but don’t do anything about it.
She said: ‘I can’t possibly imagine not being able to do the job I love, or even the simple everyday things like sitting round a family table and enjoying a meal and being able to listen to the conversation around me.’ Ms Diamond explained that the charity can be a huge help to those suffering from deafness.
She added: ‘They provide a simple, free hearing check that you can do in your own home, explain what to expect from your doctor, and make the whole world of hearing aids so much simpler.’
Ms Diamond was recently embroiled in a row with comedienne Dawn French, who she accused of having gastric band surgery to lose weight.
Diamond herself had the procedure in 2006 and speculated that French's 'astonishing transformation' could have been the result of undergoing the operation.
However, French simply told Diamond to 'shut up'.
There are also video messages on the charity’s site from One Foot In The Grave stars Richard Wilson and Annette Crosbie, EastEnders' Rita Simons and Genevieve Barr, an actress who was born deaf.
Ms Crosbie uses two hearing aids and said: ‘I know what it’s like to go slowly deaf.’
She emphasises that Action On Hearing Loss is working hard to remove the stigma attached to the wearing of hearing aids.
Monday, 21 November 2011
Deaf charity’s Cumbria contract
A NATIONAL deaf charity has been awarded a contract to provide mental health services for people with hearing problems in Cumbria writes Pamela McGowan for the News & Star (21/11/11). SignHealth won the tender to offer the first British Sign Language ‘Improving Access to Psychological Therapies’ (IAPT) services for the deaf community in the north west, including Carlisle.
Steve Powell, chief executive of SignHealth, provides services across the country, said: “IAPT is a government initiative aimed at improving emotional and psychological wellbeing, and getting people into work or back into work. The service is available for the general population, including black and ethnic minority groups, but until now it has not been appropriately accessible for the deaf population.
“We will be providing the first specialist IAPT service for deaf people in England, which will be piloted in the North West, including Cumbria, and will be known under the name of ‘BSL Healthy Minds’. If successful, it is envisaged it will be extended throughout the country.”
The pilot will employ psychological wellbeing practitioners fluent in sign language to provide one-to-one support and group therapies for deaf people experiencing common mental health problems.
Mr Powell added: “Until now the communication needs of a deaf person seeking support have been managed by having an interpreter in the room or by not accessing any treatment at all. To provide an interpreter is not only costly and time consuming, but more importantly, is not effective.
“Having a third person in the room is intrusive and doesn’t encourage the relationship between the therapist and client to develop to its full potential. In many cases the client will feel closer to the interpreter and develop a trusting relationship with them rather than the therapist, which can lead to less successful treatment.”
Steve Powell, chief executive of SignHealth, provides services across the country, said: “IAPT is a government initiative aimed at improving emotional and psychological wellbeing, and getting people into work or back into work. The service is available for the general population, including black and ethnic minority groups, but until now it has not been appropriately accessible for the deaf population.
“We will be providing the first specialist IAPT service for deaf people in England, which will be piloted in the North West, including Cumbria, and will be known under the name of ‘BSL Healthy Minds’. If successful, it is envisaged it will be extended throughout the country.”
The pilot will employ psychological wellbeing practitioners fluent in sign language to provide one-to-one support and group therapies for deaf people experiencing common mental health problems.
Mr Powell added: “Until now the communication needs of a deaf person seeking support have been managed by having an interpreter in the room or by not accessing any treatment at all. To provide an interpreter is not only costly and time consuming, but more importantly, is not effective.
“Having a third person in the room is intrusive and doesn’t encourage the relationship between the therapist and client to develop to its full potential. In many cases the client will feel closer to the interpreter and develop a trusting relationship with them rather than the therapist, which can lead to less successful treatment.”
Thursday, 10 November 2011
Tough times for Caithness deaf charity
A CAITHNESS charity which helps people with hearing problems is facing “worrying times” because of budget cutbacks and reduced staff hours reports the John O'Groat Journal & Caithness Courier (10/11/11).
But Deirdre Aitken, the co-ordinator for Caithness Deaf Care, yesterday said she hopes the present funding difficulties will be overcome in the next few years.
She explained that about half of the organisation’s core costs – salaries, heating, lighting and rent – are met by the Highland Council and NHS Highland.
In the past the remaining funding of between £16,000 and £20,000 has been provided mostly from trusts but they, too, are having to make cuts as a result of the current economic downturn.
Mrs Aitken told the Caithness Courier the cutbacks are happening at a time when the charity’s workload is increasing. She pointed out that there are over 1000 people in the Far North registered with the organisation and said around a fifth of them are under 60 years of age.
“We are seeing more people now in the their forties and fifties whereas in 2000 most of the people we dealt with would be retired,” she said.
“They still account for about 80 per cent of our workload but around 20 per cent are people of working age.”
Speaking personally, Mrs Aitken thought that could be a result of people working noisy machinery in the past and not wearing proper ear protection or listening to loud music through headphones over a long period of time.
“Our workload is increasing as our budget has been cut but we are managing to keep going by utilising our volunteers. They have been fantastic and are very conscientious, dedicated and hard-working,” she stated.
Mrs Aitken has had her hours reduced from 21 to 15 a week while another member of staff now works 20 hours instead of 25.
“We have cut the hours and have been using our reserves to keep going but that cannot continue in the longer term,” she said. “These are worrying times but we are managing to make the service work for people. The budget cuts are not impacting too much on the public although some things may take a bit longer to get done.
“We are facing a difficult time but we are hoping the problems will be overcome in the next few years.”
Mrs Aitken explained that in Scotland one in five people are likely to experience some form of hearing loss during their lives.
The charity helps people with hearing problems and gives advice on hearing aids and specialist equipment. It also liaises with NHS audiology which is based in Inverness.
Caithness Deaf Care covers Caithness and Sutherland and has offices in Wick and Thurso.
The latter opened in 2002 with the help of funding from the National Lottery. The offices are open three days a week from 10am to 2pm.
But Deirdre Aitken, the co-ordinator for Caithness Deaf Care, yesterday said she hopes the present funding difficulties will be overcome in the next few years.
She explained that about half of the organisation’s core costs – salaries, heating, lighting and rent – are met by the Highland Council and NHS Highland.
In the past the remaining funding of between £16,000 and £20,000 has been provided mostly from trusts but they, too, are having to make cuts as a result of the current economic downturn.
Mrs Aitken told the Caithness Courier the cutbacks are happening at a time when the charity’s workload is increasing. She pointed out that there are over 1000 people in the Far North registered with the organisation and said around a fifth of them are under 60 years of age.
“We are seeing more people now in the their forties and fifties whereas in 2000 most of the people we dealt with would be retired,” she said.
“They still account for about 80 per cent of our workload but around 20 per cent are people of working age.”
Speaking personally, Mrs Aitken thought that could be a result of people working noisy machinery in the past and not wearing proper ear protection or listening to loud music through headphones over a long period of time.
“Our workload is increasing as our budget has been cut but we are managing to keep going by utilising our volunteers. They have been fantastic and are very conscientious, dedicated and hard-working,” she stated.
Mrs Aitken has had her hours reduced from 21 to 15 a week while another member of staff now works 20 hours instead of 25.
“We have cut the hours and have been using our reserves to keep going but that cannot continue in the longer term,” she said. “These are worrying times but we are managing to make the service work for people. The budget cuts are not impacting too much on the public although some things may take a bit longer to get done.
“We are facing a difficult time but we are hoping the problems will be overcome in the next few years.”
Mrs Aitken explained that in Scotland one in five people are likely to experience some form of hearing loss during their lives.
The charity helps people with hearing problems and gives advice on hearing aids and specialist equipment. It also liaises with NHS audiology which is based in Inverness.
Caithness Deaf Care covers Caithness and Sutherland and has offices in Wick and Thurso.
The latter opened in 2002 with the help of funding from the National Lottery. The offices are open three days a week from 10am to 2pm.
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
CHARITY EVENT RAISES MONEY FOR CHILDREN’S DEAF SOCIETY
A FUN day raised money and awareness for a charity close to a nursery’s heart reports the North West Evening Mail (25/10/11).
Happy Tots Day Nursery, in Barrow, hosted an open day full of fun to raise cash for the National Deaf Children’s Society.
Happy Tots Day Nursery, in Barrow, hosted an open day full of fun to raise cash for the National Deaf Children’s Society.
The nursery had a bouncy castle, disco and fundraising events including a tombola, face painting and a raffle on Sunday.
A number of other activities at the nursery took place last week to raise money for the society.
The Abbey Road nursery was inspired by one of its pupils, Honor Morton, three, who is partially deaf.
Anna Archer, deputy manager of Happy Tots, was thrilled with the support from parents and businesses.
She said: “It was just generally a really fun day for all the children.
“We have a couple of deaf children in the nursery, so we wanted to build on that and raise money for the charity.
“We have had great support and had a lot of raffle prizes donated, including hair and beauty vouchers, bottles of wine and lots more.
“We decided to use the charity fun day as an open day too so anyone could come.
“And we showed a number of families around, which is great.”
Smiling faces all round proved the day was a success.
The Bay radio station was based in a tent outside, broadcasting from the nursery, while hundreds of children had their faces painted, played in the ball pit and tried their hands at the lucky dip.
Ms Archer added: “We thought it would be nice to give the children something to do on a Sunday.”
Wednesday, 21 September 2011
Scotland’s Largest Deaf Organisation Expands
Two of the oldest organisations working with deaf people in Scotland, Deaf Action and Tayside Deaf Association, were delighted to officially recognise their merger on 16 March writes Andrew Edmundson in the Dundee Messenger (22/08/11).
Between them, the two charities have nearly 300 years of experience in working with deaf
people and providing services to promote independence.
In September 2010, Deaf Action and Tayside Deaf Association announced their intention to merge; creating the largest deaf organisation in Scotland. On Wednesday 16 March over 140 people, including Councillors, health representatives, organisations and clients gathered at Discovery Point, Dundee to celebrate the launch of Deaf Action in Tayside.
The merger of Deaf Action and Tayside Deaf Association comes at a very important time; this is a difficult period for the third sector, as it is for local governments, companies and individuals themselves. Budgets are being squeezed that will affect the services many people depend on. In this environment Deaf Action and Tayside Deaf Association are delighted to be joining their history, resources and experience together to deliver stronger services for deaf people.
At the launch event, Petra Claydon, a Deaf BSL user and young mum spoke passionately of her feelings of frustration at being unable to communicate throughout her education with hearing colleagues and today with young mums at the school gates. "After discovering the Training Services available from Deaf Action and working with their staff, I am delighted that I am now in a position to deliver Deaf Awareness Training and British Sign Language Training to hearing people. It is courses like this that address the very same communication difficulties I have faced in my life," explained Petra who is now working with Deaf Action in Tayside to provide training courses to others.
Bill Nicol, a member of the Perth lip reading group, stressed what the group meant to him; "The lip reading classes cost very little to sustain but they provide members with much more than the skills of lip reading. People diagnosed with a hearing loss can very quickly become isolated; by attending lip reading classes people get valuable support, advice and companionship, it is important that these services continue and develop."
Liz Scott Gibson, Director of Deaf Action commented "We are overwhelmed by the number of people that came out to support our work. We are looking forward to continuing the great work done here and to developing innovative services to meet the needs of deaf people today". The celebrations came to close with an inspiring performance from Claypotts Primary School Signing Choir.
It is estimated that 1 in 5 people in Scotland are affected by some degree of hearing loss – that approximately 62,000 people in the Tayside region. Deaf Action is the leading provider of services for deaf people in Scotland and has a long history of providing services for and working with Deaf British Sign Language users as well as those who are deafened, deafblind and hard of hearing.
Between them, the two charities have nearly 300 years of experience in working with deaf
people and providing services to promote independence.
In September 2010, Deaf Action and Tayside Deaf Association announced their intention to merge; creating the largest deaf organisation in Scotland. On Wednesday 16 March over 140 people, including Councillors, health representatives, organisations and clients gathered at Discovery Point, Dundee to celebrate the launch of Deaf Action in Tayside.
The merger of Deaf Action and Tayside Deaf Association comes at a very important time; this is a difficult period for the third sector, as it is for local governments, companies and individuals themselves. Budgets are being squeezed that will affect the services many people depend on. In this environment Deaf Action and Tayside Deaf Association are delighted to be joining their history, resources and experience together to deliver stronger services for deaf people.
At the launch event, Petra Claydon, a Deaf BSL user and young mum spoke passionately of her feelings of frustration at being unable to communicate throughout her education with hearing colleagues and today with young mums at the school gates. "After discovering the Training Services available from Deaf Action and working with their staff, I am delighted that I am now in a position to deliver Deaf Awareness Training and British Sign Language Training to hearing people. It is courses like this that address the very same communication difficulties I have faced in my life," explained Petra who is now working with Deaf Action in Tayside to provide training courses to others.
Bill Nicol, a member of the Perth lip reading group, stressed what the group meant to him; "The lip reading classes cost very little to sustain but they provide members with much more than the skills of lip reading. People diagnosed with a hearing loss can very quickly become isolated; by attending lip reading classes people get valuable support, advice and companionship, it is important that these services continue and develop."
Liz Scott Gibson, Director of Deaf Action commented "We are overwhelmed by the number of people that came out to support our work. We are looking forward to continuing the great work done here and to developing innovative services to meet the needs of deaf people today". The celebrations came to close with an inspiring performance from Claypotts Primary School Signing Choir.
It is estimated that 1 in 5 people in Scotland are affected by some degree of hearing loss – that approximately 62,000 people in the Tayside region. Deaf Action is the leading provider of services for deaf people in Scotland and has a long history of providing services for and working with Deaf British Sign Language users as well as those who are deafened, deafblind and hard of hearing.
Thursday, 8 September 2011
Deaf centre loses council funding
The Centre for Deaf People in Bristol is to lose its funding from the city council reports the BBC (08/09/11)
John Maslen, the centre's chief executive, said staff had given the best quality service they could offer. The centre, which offers social activities, employment and training, is now threatened with closure.
Funding is due to end on 1 November. The centre looking into how it can raise money itself.
'Devastating news' Mr Maslen called for a rethink. "It's devastating news," he said. "We have worked tirelessly to make sure that we give the best quality service we can offer. We're all well aware of the savings that have to be made in the country and the local authority and are sympathetic to it. Dialogue has been very sparse with little consultation and we are deeply disappointed and devastated that there hasn't been more full and proper budget saving consultation prior to this announcement."
Alison Comley, strategic director of health and social care at Bristol City Council, said there was a voluntary sector budget of just over £4m which covered about 50 different organisations.
She said last year the council worked with the organisations to discuss how best to make the £240,000 savings. The Centre for Deaf People was not able to provide information on "a number of areas", she said. "We're not planning to cut services to the deaf community," she said. We're not in a position to offer a grant to this organisation but we've got every intention to reprovide the services through a tendering process. It may well be the Centre for Deaf People want to bid for that work."
Wednesday, 24 August 2011
Bike trek triumph for deaf teenager Chris MacDonald
A Deaf teenager from York has cycled more than 1,300 miles to raise money for a local charity, reports Dan Bean, York Press, (22/08/11)
Chris MacDonald, 18, has been a member of Lollipop, a charity for deaf and hearing-impaired youngsters, for the last seven years.
He set out on August 1 from Aberdeen, with a final destination of York, via St Ives, Cornwall.
Chris, who has been profoundly deaf since the age of three, has raised just over £1,665 for the charity.
Chris said: “There are too many hills in Scotland – we had to push quite a bit.
“It was a bit difficult at first. We decided to go on a two-lane motorway, which wasn’t nice, and the weather made it very – very hard.”
Chris set off on the journey with school friend Lucas Wetherill, who sadly had to pull out of the challenge on doctor’s orders after contracting severe tonsillitis four days in. Lucas said: “I was very disappointed not to be able to carry on. I’m pleased that I still managed to raise money to donate towards such a fantastic charity, and I was pleased that Chris managed to do so well and arrive back safely.”
Chris said: “I had been doing a lot of training, so it was a bit quicker by myself, but a bit lonely.
“The best part of the journey was near Exeter on the A377, which was absolutely wonderful – round the mountain, but there are no hills, just nice curving roads and you can see for miles.”
The pair were hoping to raise £1,000, and said they were shocked by how much had come in.
“It’s just gone up like a rocket,” said Chris.
Andrea Gitsham, of Lollipop, said: “This is the largest amount that anyone has raised for Lollipop in a single sponsored challenge since we launched.
“It’s a fantastic achievement and we are very proud of Chris. He is an inspiration to us all. His sheer determination to complete the journey in the shortest time has amazed us all.”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
