Have you ever stopped to consider what it must be like not to be able to hear the birds singing, the sound of laughter and to live in world filled with silence?
It is estimated that there are around nine million people in the UK who are deaf or hard of hearing – in fact, deafness is the third most common disability in the world today.
However, there is a keen sense of culture and belonging in the deaf community, with many not viewing their deafness as a disability at all. And it’s that sense of belonging that’s central to this year’s theme.
Carrie Pearce, our Welfare Services Lead, says: “This year, Deaf Awareness Week is focusing on inclusion – something that is vitally important in society today.
“Whether you were born deaf, or lost your hearing later in life, there are so many avenues of support available for the deaf community.
“Here at The Fire Fighters Charity, our Welfare team are on hand to offer advice and support in a number of areas, whether it’s financial help, signposting to external organisations or claiming disability benefits.”
Carrie has shared a few of the support avenues on MyFFC. You can read the full story here:
You can read about how we supported one beneficiary, Kieran Egan, below. The London firefighter’s son needed extensive surgery to remove tumours from his ears and we provided financial support so travel and accommodation could be one less thing to worry about.
If you feel you would like to know more about how we can support you, contact our assessment practitioner team on 0800 389 8820 or register for MyFFC and visit the Access Support tab, and we’d be happy to help.
