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RESIDENTS URGED
TO MARK DEAF AWARENESS WEEK BY FOLLOWING CHARITY'S TOP TIPS
DURING Deaf Awareness Week,
6 May 2013 to 12 May 2013, charity Action on Hearing Loss is urging Southport
residents to follow some top communication tips to avoid excluding
or making everyday life more difficult for family, friends or
colleagues with hearing loss.
Action on Hearing Loss is inviting people to visit the charity's
website
and view videos highlighting how difficult communication is for
people who live life without sound. Visitors are asked to take part
in a fun challenge to lipread and guess what is said in examples of
everyday conversation; and see just how confusing they can be for
people who are deaf.
The charity is promoting the following top tips during Deaf
Awareness Week:- ► Make sure you have the person's attention before you start
speaking.
► Places with good lighting (so that you can be lipread) and little
or no background noise are best for conversations.
► Face the person so you can be lipread and speak clearly, using
plain language, normal lip movements and facial expressions.
► Check whether the person understands what you are saying and, if
not, try saying it in a different way.
► Keep your voice down as it's uncomfortable for a hearing aid user
if you shout and it looks aggressive.
► Learn fingerspelling or some basic British Sign Language (BSL).
Chief executive of Action on Hearing Loss, Paul Breckell, says:-
"1 in 6 Southport residents have some form of hearing loss and
many will avoid social occasions or have difficulty at work because
they struggle to follow conversations when speaking with people who
are not deaf aware. During Deaf Awareness Week, we are encouraging
everyone to follow our communication tips and help remove
unnecessary barriers preventing people with hearing loss from
joining in everyday fun conversations or important discussions."
Action on Hearing Loss is also encouraging Southport residents to
'ZIP
IT!' during Deaf Awareness Week by holding a sponsored silence
in school, college or workplace to raise vital funds for the
charity's life-changing work supporting people with hearing loss.
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Step out to
celebrate bluebells and birdsong
Photo below of Gorse
Covert, at RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands, was taken and supplied by Ron
Thomas.
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THERE'S a sight to behold
at RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands this spring; one of the best bluebell
woods in the region. Each spring, the nature reserve's Gorse Covert,
a 3.4 hectare semi-natural ancient woodland, bursts into colour with
a blanket of bluebells and people are invited to celebrate the
arrival of these popular flowers.
Despite flowering later than last year due to the long winter, most
of the flowers are now beginning to emerge, creating a stunning
sight. Hundreds of visitors to the Dee Estuary reserve were
delighted last year to see such a pristine area of the iconic
British flower.
Duncan Halpin, Visitor Officer Intern at Burton Mere Wetlands,
said:- "When I came here last May as a visitor, I was blown
away by the intensity of the bluebell woodland. The contrast of the
deep blue against the greenery of the trees creates a lovely setting
for a relaxing stroll. It's the ideal place to enjoy a walk on a
spring afternoon."
The woodland, Gorse Covert, can be enjoyed independently by all
visitors to the reserve, however a 'Bluebells and Birdsong'
guided walk will be held on Saturday, 18 May 2013, from 10am to noon.
Enjoy a stroll into the heart of the bluebell woodland and with the
help of a guide, discover more about other interesting flowers and
wildlife. The nesting birds will also be in fine voice, adding to
the tranquil atmosphere and creating the perfect opportunity to gain
tips on how to pick out the songs of different birds.
The cost is £5 per person, discounted to £3 for RSPB members. This
includes a hot drink and a snack in the reception hide and covers
the entry fee to the reserve for non-members.
To book a place, phone:-
0151 353 8478 or via
email.
For more information about Burton Mere Wetlands and the full events
programme for the Dee Estuary reserve please see:-
rspb.org.uk/deeestuary.
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