Photo opportunity– 11am Wednesday 7 July, the Mayors Parlour, Borough Offices, Angel Hill, Bury St Edmunds: St Edmundsbury Mayor, Cllr Mike Jones, will be presented with the Hearing Dog Friendly Town Award from Vicki Foster of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People. The Mayor will also present Mr and Mrs Larke and their hearing dog Megan with a certificate.
Bury St Edmunds has received recognition for welcoming deaf people and their hearing dogs into public places, by being awarded first place in the finals of 2004 Hearing Dog Friendly Town competition.
Earlier this year Bury St Edmunds was nominated for the award by Trevor and Jean Larke, based on the positive reception and attitudes the couple and their hearing dog Megan have received from service providers in the town, such as bus and train operators, supermarkets and restaurants. It’s this welcoming attitude that encouraged the couple to contact the charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and put Bury forward for the award.
Cllr Frank Warby, Portfolio Holder for Health, Housing and Crime said:
“We are honoured to receive this award on behalf of the people and businesses of Bury St Edmunds. This award reflects all the good work that has been done so far and we’d like to encourage local business to continue to support hearing dogs. St Edmundsbury is keen to help people with disabilities and we have introduced a number of initiatives to do this.”
Such initiatives include portable and fixed hearing loops and a Typetalk system which allows people who are deaf or have hearing problems to communicate with us by means of an intermediary using a text phone (minicom). Tactile surfacing has also been installed throughout the borough for those with visual impairments, including raised blisters on pathways to help people identify crossing points and cones that rotate underneath push button boxes on crossing signals, allowing people distinguish signals of the other side of the road. Tactile surfacing is also used to help visually impaired people to identify bus stops and many have large signs, written in Braille. Dropped kerbs can also be found throughout the borough, helping people who are visually impaired and those using wheelchairs.
A HearingDogFriendlyTown plaque for the town will be presented to the Mayor by Hearing Dogs for Deaf people on Wednesday 7 July at 11am. The mayor will also be presenting a certificate to Mr and Mrs Larke and their dog Meagan on behalf of the charity, for their efforts in raising awareness of the work of hearing dogs.
ENDS
Notes to editors
§ Hearing Dogs for Deaf People is a registered charity aiming to improve the quality of life for deaf people. The charity trains dogs to act as the ears for deaf people, and to provide companionship, confidence and greater independence
§ Hearing Dogs can be contacted on 01844 348100.
ISSUED BY MARIA ETHRIDGE, COMMUNICATIONS UNIT, ST EDMUNDSBURY BOROUGH COUNCIL. Tel 01284 757033 email maria.ethridge@stedsbc.gov.uk
