Norfolk Deaf Association (NDA) is hosting a visual extravaganza at the Bishop’s House Gardens in Norwich, by kind permission of The Bishop of Norwich and Mrs James, on Sunday 26 June 2016, from 1pm-5pm. 

This fundraising event will be the highlight of the NDA calendar, with the gardens in full bloom, and entertainment on offer from Chermond Circus, Norfolk Singing Hands and Nathaniel Laker.  Entry on the day is £3, children and visitors in wheelchairs free; no dogs except guide dogs. www.norfolkdeaf.org.uk.

Chermond Circus is currently working on ‘Aspects of Alice’, a journey through a Wonderland of Circus, Gymnastics and Dance. Open Garden’s guests will have the opportunity for a sneak preview of the show, performed on the central lawn at 2pm. Chermond gymnast, Thalia Razzell (13), has been using Hearing Aids since she was four years old, after being diagnosed with Primary Cilliary Dyskinesia. She is the only child with this condition in the Norwich area and relies on a combination of lip reading and her hearing aids to understand those around her. Being a teenager keen on fashion, Thalia has brightly coloured ear moulds, which she is proud to wear. “The only trouble is” she laughed, “they sometimes fly out when I am tumbling in the gym!” Thalia and the Chermond team are looking forward to showing off their skills and helping to raise funds for the NDA.

Norfolk Singing Hands is a wonderful local British Sign Language (BSL) signing choir who will be performing a variety of current and summery songs.

Talented local guitarist, Nathaniel Laker’s performance will be accompanied by a visual backdrop of film clips to reflect his songs from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.

Simon Gaches, Bishop’s House Head Gardener, himself a hearing aid user, will be in the garden to answer visitors’ questions and offer advice. Over the last few months, he has been working hard to ensure the gardens are at their best and will be looking forward to showing off the ‘Jungle Walk’ which is new for 2016.

There will also be face painting, along with a children’s Nature Trail with prizes for all children that complete the trail.

Aliona Derrett, Chief Executive Officer added: “We are looking forward to wonderful afternoon at The Bishop’s House Garden. I would like to thank The Bishop of Norwich and Mrs James for giving us this fundraising opportunity and for all the entertainers for giving their time to NDA. We hope lots of families will join us for the afternoon and that the sun shines on our event!”

Refreshments will be available with a delicious selection of home-made cakes, ice creams, as well as a Grand Draw, sponsored by Breakwater IT with a £250 first prize. There will also be a variety of stalls, including a plant stall.

The Bishop’s House Garden is opposite the Law Courts off St Martin-At-Palace Plain, Norwich, NR3 1SB. The nearest car park is next to the Adam and Eve (NR3 1RZ) on Bishopgate.

Norfolk Deaf Association (NDA) is dedicated to improving the lives of young people and adults with all degrees of hearing loss. This is achieved by providing hearing aid maintenance, advice on assistive listening technology and communication methods, and support and information on hearing loss and other related conditions.

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The Norfolk Deaf Association:

1. The charity was first established in 1898 and currently has a team of 8 staff as well as over 65 essential volunteers.

2. Over 124,000 people in Norfolk have some degree of hearing loss. 

This equates to 1 in 7 people.

3. The NDA provides the following services:

Hearing Support Service, Befriending Service, Tinnitus Support Group, Hard of Hearing group (HUSH! Club) and Deafness Awareness Training for commercial and public sector organisations as well as individuals.

4. Richard Jewson, Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk is patron of the NDA.

5. Of the 2 million people in the UK that wear a hearing aid, only 1.4 million wear it regularly. Of the 124,000 Norfolk people that are registered as deaf, only 34% receive any support. The NDA is determined to improve that statistic.

6. It is estimated that by 2031, 14.5 million people in the UK will have hearing loss (approx. 20% of the population)

7. The Norfolk Deaf Association is based at 120 Thorpe Road, Norwich, NR1 1RT. Telephone 01603 404440. www.norfolkdeaf.org.uk. They would be delighted to hear from potential volunteers, individuals and organisations who are interested in supporting the charity.

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Top Tips for Speaking to someone with Hearing Loss:-

● Attract attention before speaking by tapping a shoulder/elbow so you can be sure you have the attention of the person you are speaking to.

● Ensure you face the person you are talking to – many people with hearing loss rely on lip reading to communicate, so if they can’t see you, they can’t hear you.

● Certain sounds are harder to hear, so if you can’t make yourself understood, rephrase what you are saying. Just repeating over and over the same thing will only lead to frustration for both parties.

● Use plain language, normal lip movements and facial expressions. If you exaggerate your speech, it becomes more difficult to lip read.