The morning after the general election, 5 July, will be a historic moment for the UK. Whether it is delivered by a re-elected or newly elected Prime Minister, their speech to the nation will be a moment of national significance.
It’s a moment that should be accessible to every voter in the UK, including the 87,000 members of the Deaf community who use British Sign Language (BSL).
The Deaf community has continually been excluded during these key broadcasts from No. 10 because of the lack of a BSL interpreter. RNID has long tried to work with the Government to ensure that access is provided for the Deaf community.
A public service announcement is just that, but by not including deaf people the Prime Minister is removing their right to have the information at the same time as everyone else.
RNID has written to both Sir Kier Starmer and Rishi Sunak offering them the use of our interpreter for their victory speech on 5 July. Their speech to the nation will be the start of a new chapter in our country’s history and they cannot lock the Deaf community out.
I encourage all your readers to join our call and sign our letter to make this election inclusive of everyone at rnid.org.uk
Major new research from charity RNID has revealed the negative attitudes and behaviours that deaf people and people with hearing loss experience on a regular basis.
The research of 8,151 people found that more than a quarter (27%) of deaf people and people with hearing loss are ignored by most people in public settings.
More than two thirds (67%) told us they have experienced negative attitudes or behaviours in the last year, and almost half (48%) said they also experience this from their own family members.
54% said people tell them ‘It doesn’t matter’ when they struggle to understand, which we know can make people feel like they don’t matter. 47% have experienced people shouting at them.
The impact of this can be huge: people tell us they feel excluded, lonely, and disrespected. Often these experiences cause people to withdraw, to avoid others, and even hide that they are deaf or have hearing loss.
We want people across the UK to stand with us and say that the way deaf people and people with hearing loss are treated really does matter. We know the public want to help, so we’re urging people to follow our three simple tips to be more inclusive, and learn some simple BSL phrases for everyday conversation.
“I haven’t heard silence for 8 years” – Jamie Laing
TV personality, podcaster and entrepreneur, Jamie Laing, has been living with tinnitus since 2016. For Tinnitus Week (5-11 February) Jamie has joined forces with RNID, the charity supporting people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus, to share his story and help RNID raise funds for research to silence tinnitus for good.
Jamie talks about the moment he first experienced the condition, describing it as a sudden and overwhelming sensation. Eight years on, he details the impact of tinnitus on his daily life, highlighting its disruptive nature and the difficulty of finding relief from the persistent ringing in his ears.
Tinnitus is the name for hearing noises that are not caused by an outside source. It’s common – around 1 in 7 adults have tinnitus all the time or regularly. The condition sounds different for different people.
Many people describe their tinnitus as a ringing sound, but tinnitus can also be heard as other sounds, such as buzzing, whooshing, clicking, humming, and hissing, to name a few, or even be a combination of sounds.
Jamie Laing said:“I haven’t heard silence for 8 years. The very first time I ever heard tinnitus, I woke up one morning and I got out of bed, and I could hear this ringing noise.
“And I was looking around, thinking where the hell is this noise coming from? Then it suddenly dawned on me that it was inside my own head. For anyone who’s ever experienced tinnitus that is a really scary moment.
“I would spend a lot of time in nightclubs, but I never wore anything to protect my ears. I should have done and everyone should be protecting their ears. My tinnitus sounds like a dog whistle, with a whooshing noise surrounding it as well.
“So it takes me a lot to cry and I was shooting a television show called Hunted, and in it my tinnitus was so bad. People were asking me questions and I couldn’t hear what they were saying because the ringing was so overbearing. It was so loud, and I was like, this is the moment. This is the moment where tinnitus is going to take over.
“The amazing thing is RNID is doing some incredible work, and through this amazing campaign they are raising money which will go directly towards tinnitus research to silence tinnitus for good.”
Franki Oliver, Audiology Manager at RNID, said: “Tinnitus is in fact much more common than many people realise. Around 1 in 7 adults have tinnitus; that’s over 7 million adults in the UK!
“There is support out there with a range of professional tinnitus management options as well as self-management techniques available that can be helpful.
“Thank you to Jamie Laing for sharing his story and raising awareness of tinnitus and how RNID can support people living with the condition.”
· Tinnitus is in fact more common than many people realise. Around 1 in 7 adults have tinnitus. That’s over 7 million adults in the UK.
· Tinnitus sounds different for different people. Many people describe their tinnitus as a ringing sound, but some people hear other sounds such as buzzing, whooshing, clicking, hissing, or even a combination of sounds.
· Tinnitus is known to be more common in people with hearing loss. However, people without hearing loss can also have tinnitus.
· Tinnitus can be caused by loud noise exposure, but this is not the only cause. Tinnitus can be caused by certain ear conditions and other medical conditions. and other medical conditions. Sometimes there is no clear cause.
Have you made your new year resolutions yet? Need one more? Why don’t you sign up as an RNID volunteer?
RNID, the charity supporting people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus are looking for volunteers to support our vital work across Scotland.
Last year, our volunteers gave more than 9,000 hours of their time to support people in their communities with practical information and essential hearing aid care. But with one in five adults in the UK being deaf or having hearing loss or tinnitus there is much more to do to make sure everyone in the UK gets support
Volunteering for RNID could involve providing information to local organisations and community groups, helping people get the most out of their hearing aids, or giving a friendly welcome to everyone who passes through the door at one of our support sessions.
Many of our volunteers have hearing loss themselves or in their family, and volunteering with us is a great way to meet new people, gain new skills and experience, try something new and help people in your community.
What are you waiting for? For more information, visit rnid.org.uk/join or contact us on 0808 808 0123.
RNID’s STACY WORBOYS writes about her time at the second Edinburgh Deaf Festival (11-20 August 2023) and the community she found there as a deaf person:
“This year was the first year that I have been back to Edinburgh since before the pandemic, so I thought I’d make the most of it and visit during the second Edinburgh Deaf Festival.
A little bit about me – I have been deaf since birth, diagnosed when I was 4, but grown up in a hearing family, attending mainstream schools with support and equipment and not learning sign language. There was only one other deaf person (that I know of) when I was at secondary school.
I relied entirely on lip reading and my chunky radio aid linked, to my hearing aids, to understand speech. My mum tried to get us enrolled on a family British Sign Language (BSL) course, but they were too expensive, and we couldn’t afford them.
Starting to sign
When I was 18, I moved from the outskirts of Sheffield to Cardiff for university and, after attending a volunteering fayre, started volunteering with RNID on their information stalls and campaigns.
This is where I started to meet other deaf people and learn more about sign language. It wasn’t until I left university and started working that I started learning BSL.
After passing my Level 1, I felt confident to start signing with other deaf people, so began going to deaf clubs and joined different events in the deaf community to meet new people. In the last eight years, I have worked my way all the way up to Level 6 and now use BSL regularly to communicate with friends and work colleagues.
Growing up, I used to love going to the cinema and theatre, but I always struggled to understand what was happening. I relied entirely on the visual aspect of film and theatre and the occasional chance to lip read what someone was saying.
I still love going but I cannot manage without captions or BSL interpreters.
So, I jumped at the chance to attend a week full of performances and events that were done entirely in BSL, with voiceover provided for any hearing attendees and captions for deaf people who didn’t use BSL.
For the first time, I was surrounded entirely by BSL users from different walks of life. A truly different experience and one that I will remember for a long time.
Developing my knowledge and identity
For the last 6 years, I have been developing my knowledge of BSL, deaf culture and deaf identity – including finding my own deaf identity.
I was lucky enough to meet a great group of deaf people, who welcomed me into the local deaf clubs and were patient with me, as I practiced my BSL and learnt about different parts of their culture.
Many people shared their experiences of education, work and social lives with me and made me more aware of the barriers that people with profound deafness have.
In a normal week, I spend time with deaf friends around three times a week. At work, I rely on lip reading and speech-to-text reporters for catch-ups and meetings.
Going to Edinburgh
When in Edinburgh, I was surrounded by deaf people every day and it was such a different experience.
It was so nice to see deaf people all packed into a room chatting away before the show, and then continuing the conversation afterwards.
It has always been said that deaf people are the last to leave, and almost everyone stuck around, so I knew that was true!
I was fully emerged in the culture for the first time.For one week, I really embraced and accepted my own deaf identity, knowing that there were people in the room who shared similar experiences.
Everyone had a different story to tell, and no-one’s experience was the same. Being deaf doesn’t mean that you cannot hear anything, it is a spectrum. There were people in Edinburgh with similar levels of deafness to myself. This is something that I have struggled with in my local deaf community, because there aren’t many people with my level of deafness.
At the festival, there was a complete range of performances and events that I was able to attend. This included stand-up comedy shows with John Smith, Gavin Lilley and Elf Lyons and Duffy, to dance, comedy, magic and drag shows. There were also BSL tours of the Edinburgh Castle and Botanical Gardens, and – my absolute favourite – a good old fashioned pub quiz!
My personal highlight was just getting to spend time with like-minded individuals and loving life in a different city for seven days.
I really am glad that I made the decision to go to Edinburgh’s Deaf Festival and I am already looking forward to going back in 2024.”
Summer is well and truly on its way, which means more opportunities to be outside with friends and family and listen to live music.
In all of the fun, we sometimes forget to look after our hearing health and how loud sounds are. A live concert or festival can often reach levels of 110 decibels. Repeated or long exposure to sounds at 85 decibels or above can cause hearing loss so it is important that whilst you are sipping that overpriced beer and singing along to your favourite artist you take care of your ears.
The good news is that there are some easy ways you can still enjoy yourself and keep your hearing protected: Carry earplugs with you and use them, the reusable kind designed for clubbers and musicians don’t muffle sound, just make it a bit quieter and can protect your ears.
Stay away from the speakers – the closer you are, the greater the risk of hearing damage. And take regular breaks from the loudest areas to give your ears a rest. We want everyone to have a great summer – and at the same time keep your hearing healthy for the future.
It is important to check your hearing regularly so join over 250,000 people and take the free, online Hearing Check by visiting rnid.org.uk
RNID, the charity supporting people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus is looking for volunteers to support our vital work across the UK.
Volunteers Week (1-7 June) is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the amazing impact our volunteers have. Last year, they gave more than 7,740 hours of their time to support people in their communities with practical information and support with hearing aids. This year, we need you to help us reach our goals and ensure that everyone in the UK can benefit from support.
Volunteering for RNID could involve providing information to local organisations and community groups, helping people get the most out of their hearing aids, or giving a friendly welcome to everyone who passes through the door at one of our support sessions.
Many of our volunteers have hearing loss themselves or in their family, and volunteering with us is a great way to meet new people, gain new skills and experience, try something new and help people in your community.
What are you waiting for?
For more information, visit www.rnid.org.uk/volunteering or contact us at 0808 808 0123. You can also text us at 07360 268 988.
It is Deaf Awareness Week (1-7 May 2023) and RNID, the charity supporting people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus are calling on everyone to be deaf aware!
People who are deaf or have hearing loss have individual communication needs and you should ask how best you can communicate with them. RNID is encouraging people to use E.A.R. to help them remember simple tips they can use to make communication easier:
· Environment – reduce background noise or move to a quieter area. And make sure the room is well lit if the person relies on lipreading.
· Attention – use simple gestures such as pointing, waving or a light tap on the shoulder to get someone’s attention. Face the person you’re speaking to so they can lipread, and speak to them, not their interpreter or anyone else with them.
· Repeat and rephrase – if someone doesn’t understand you, try repeating what you said or rephrasing it in a different way. If this doesn’t work, you could write it down, or speak to a friend or relative if they ask you to.
Following E.A.R. can make the difference between your friend, family or colleague being part of the conversation or left struggling on the side-lines.
For support or information, please visit rnid.org.uk
This week is Tinnitus Week (6-12 February 2023), and latest research suggests that 1 in 7 adults have tinnitus.
Everyone’s tinnitus is different, but it’s usually described as a ringing, hissing, buzzing, roaring or humming sound. There may be one or more sounds and the noise may be there all the time or come and go.
The causes of tinnitus can be linked to different things, including hearing loss, exposure to loud noise, certain medications, ear or head injuries, some ear conditions and emotional stress. Sometimes, there’s no recognisable link at all. Many people get tinnitus for a short time – for example, after being exposed to loud music, or when they have congestion because of a cold. But for some people, it doesn’t go away, and it can have a significant impact on their daily life.
The good news is, RNID is here to help. Our freeTinnitus Guide contains information on ways to manage tinnitus, from professional support to self-help options. It also includes information on useful apps and technology, how to support a loved one with tinnitus, and what to do if tinnitus is affecting your sleep.
RNID is committed to funding research to silence tinnitus, and our guide contains the latest information on our work to identify the causes of tinnitus and develop strategies to treat it. You can find all this and more by downloading our free tinnitus guide at rnid.org.uk/tinnitus
With less than two weeks to go until Christmas day, there is a lot to get ready – from buying last minute gifts and wrapping presents, to picking up a turkey.
If you will be spending time over Christmas with family or friends who are deaf or have hearing loss, it’s important to consider how to make sure the seasonal celebrations are enjoyable for them too.
RNID, the national charity for deaf people and people with hearing loss, asked their supporters for their top tips of how family and friends can make communication easier at Christmas.
They are:
1. Ask how you can help
Everyone is different, so ask the person who is deaf or has hearing loss what you can do to make communication easier. For example, they might need to see your face when you’re talking, or they might need the subtitles on if you’re watching a film together.
2. Make lipreading easier
Make sure the room you are in for your Christmas get together is well lit – candles and fairy lights alone won’t be much use to people who lipread. Don’t cover your mouth when you’re speaking, and face the person who is lipreading. Try not to speak with your mouth full as this will make it harder for them to lipread you.
3. Take it in turns to speak
Try not to speak over each other – it’s impossible to lipread more than one person at a time and your family member will quickly get lost in the conversation. Speak clearly and not too slowly, and don’t shout as this can be uncomfortable for hearing aid users. If someone doesn’t understand what you said, try repeating or explaining it a different way.
4. Keep background noise low
If you’re playing festive music or if there is background noise, keep the volume low. This will make it much easier for people to hear, and it will help anyone who lipreads to focus on what you are saying.
5. Help people follow the conversation
If the topic of conversation suddenly changes, make sure everyone is aware – maybe ask them a question to check.
And crucially, if someone who is deaf or has hearing loss asks you to repeat something, never say “it doesn’t matter”. If you do that, you’re taking away their opportunity to be part of the conversation, and you might make them feel like they don’t matter.
Harriet Oppenheimer, Deputy Chief Executive at RNID, said:“For lots of us, Christmas is a time of big family get togethers, noisy work Christmas dos and catching up with old friends. But we also know that Christmas can be an isolating time if you are deaf or have hearing loss or tinnitus, and our supporters have told us that they can feel left out of the festive fun going on around them.
“Being deaf aware at Christmas doesn’t have to mean making big changes; there are small things you can do which will make the day a lot more enjoyable for your deaf family member or friend and allow them to be part of the celebrations.”
The 12 Signs of Christmas
RNID have made a video to help everyone learn some festive phrases in British Sign Language (BSL).
From learning how to sign ‘Happy Christmas’ to asking someone to ‘meet me under the mistletoe’ or ‘pass the chocolates’, the charity’s 12 signs of Christmas will help to get everyone in the family signing and having fun together, whilst taking an important step to be more deaf aware.
For more information on how you can be deaf aware at Christmas, visit RNID’s website.
