Queen's Award for Deaf Charity

The Ear Foundation in Nottingham has been recognised for its outstanding voluntary contribution and presented with the equivalent of an MBE for charities - The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. Receiving the award from Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, Sir Andrew Buchanan, Chief Executive Sue Archbold said: “All of us at The Ear Foundation are thrilled to receive the award.

“This recognition will help them with our future plans as they move forward with SoundSpace, our exciting new building development which will allow us to bring even greater expertise in hearing technologies to more deaf people and their families.”

The Lord Mayor of Nottingham, Councillor Leon Unczur and the Mayor of Rushcliffe, Councillor Irving Khan and his wife attended the celebration, along with partners from The University of Nottingham, University Hospitals, Action on Hearing Loss and local industry representatives.

Following a welcome from John Atkins, Chair of The Ear Foundation, presentations were made by a number of people who really understand the important work and support given by The Ear Foundation, including volunteer and Teacher of the Deaf, Julie Mather, who spoke about her work with teenagers and their families and sharing her expertise with other professionals.

Tricia Kemp, a volunteer trustee and Southern Region Co-Ordinator and founder of the Cochlear Implanted Children’s Support Group (CICS) also addressed guests at the presentation, from the perspective of a parent of a cochlear implant user.

The youngest speaker was seven year old Phoebe Lord, who was born deaf and received her first cochlear implant at the Nottingham Cochlear Implant Programme when she was just 15 months old. Phoebe received a second cochlear implant when she was five and explained, very ably, how it has helped her attend mainstream school, just like other children of her age.  

Abigail Greenwood, who was also diagnosed as deaf when she was a baby, began voluntary work for The Ear Foundation in 2010. She says: “My cochlear implant has enabled me to progress at work and enjoy life more without being so reliant on others.

“I was very impressed with The Ear Foundation’s work and wanted to give something back by getting involved. I am on the fundraising committee and help and support as many events as possible as well as speak to adults who are thinking about going for a cochlear implant.

“The Ear Foundation has worked extremely hard to reach the position it is in today and without them and its volunteers, a lot of families and adults would have struggled. It has a large volunteer base and without them a lot of activities and fundraising would not be possible.”

The Ear Foundation is unique in that it provides lifelong support to deaf children, teenagers and adults using the latest, exciting and groundbreaking technology allowing them every opportunity to realise their full potential. Although Nottingham based, the charity reaches out to help deaf children and adults nationally and internationally.