A Future for a Club for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People in Mid Cornwall

The St. Blazey, Par and Tywardreath Club for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People Club has not been active for some while now and many may think the Club now renamed Deaf Club PL 24 Mid Cornwall is moribund… …not quite.  Although there have not been meetings recently at St. May’s Methodist Church in Par, members are kept in touch on matters of interest to deafened people.  The Chairman of the Club spotted in the Western Morning News last year a news article with the title 'Cash Boost for charity which helps the deaf.'  It was about Action on Hearing Loss formerly known as the Royal National Institution for the Deaf (R. N. I. D.) being awarded nearly £400,000 by the Big Lottery Fund to deliver vital information and support for those with hearing loss in Devon and Cornwall and to help reduce social isolation.  Action on Hearing Loss  have set up the ‘Hear to Inform and Support’ project which will work with local groups such as community clubs to increase their ability to support those with deafness, tinnitus and hearing loss.  The Club aims to be an inclusive group which seeks to promote the social life and the welfare of deaf and hard of hearing people and so supports Action on Hearing Loss with the Hear to Inform and Support project and would want to help make the project a success.  The Chairman of the Club has volunteered to support the project on behalf of the Club.

       A former saleroom for antiques and furniture, Cornubia Hall, in Par has been purchased by the Par Bay Community Trust.  Following an exchange of e–mails with the Chair of the Trust, the suggestion was made that the Club with the Club’s speech to text equipment move to Cornubia Hall.  The Club’s equipment will help meet the Trustees respon­sibilities to people with protected characteristics, which includes deafened people, under the Equality Act, 2010.   The Club would base itself in what will become a community resource.  An aim of the 'Hear to Inform and Support' project is to set up hubs to which deafened people can go to.  The idea is that you drop in for a tea, coffee and a chat with a member of the Club.  Got a problem?  Through the 'Hear to Inform and Support' project we should be able to point you in the right direction to the help you need.  The Par Bay Community Trust Committee views the request of the Club to move to Cornubia Hall favourably and will build the needs of deafened people into their future plans, including the provision of a hearing loop.

       The renovation of Cornubia Hall will not be happening for a while with, as a rough guide, the renovation may be sufficiently complete, if only of a part of the Cornubia Hall, to be open to the public in November this year.  It is all tentative but with progress with the work of renovation the move of the Club would take place and the Club would start to contribute to the 'Hear to Inform and Support' project for the benefit of us all.

       Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Club will be having meetings the Project Co-ordinator and others as a beginning to supporting the Action on Hearing Loss project.

       Richard  Croome, Chairman at deafclubpl24@hotmail.com