A WORCESTER charity dedicated to providing a service to people with hearing loss has been praised by the Minister for Civil Society during a visit to the city.
Conservative MP Rob Wilson visited Deaf Direct in Lowesmoor to understand more about how the charity is building a sustainable future as a provider of services for people with hearing loss.
During the visit, Deaf Direct, which recently received £72,451 from the Local Sustainability Fund, delivered by Big Lottery Fund, welcomed the Minister, along with Worcester’s MP Robin Walker.
Mark McGann, Deputy Director of Knowledge Sharing and Policy (BIG Lottery Fund) and Helga Edstrom from Office for Civil Society and Innovation Local were also part of the visit.
As well as meeting with trustees, Coun Joy Squires, John Purser and William Stave, Mr Wilson also had the chance to talk with service users about their experiences of deafness and how organisations like Deaf Direct have developed to improve accessibility for deaf people.
The minister also had the opportunity to try out an online interpreter as part of a consortium for the national NHS 111 service.
He said: “Deaf Direct’s commitment to people with hearing loss in Worcester was inspiring to see. I was delighted to meet the team and was thrilled to see how they are reaching out to new markets and building a platform for the future with a Social Impact Bond”.
With the funding, Deaf Direct will work with specialist organisations and skilled advisors in order to develop services for people with hearing loss.
Philip Gerrard, Chief Executive of Deaf Direct, said: “We much appreciate that Rob Wilson has taken time to visit us.
“The investment from the Local Sustainability Fund will help shape the future of our services and help build a platform for longer term development.
“The grant will also give access to a wider range of skills and support, including the opportunity to establish strong volunteering relationships with local businesses.
“These cross-sector relationships will help strengthen resilience and promote long term sustainability,” he added.
