I am raising money for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People
My Hearing Dog, Inca, changed my life in ways I did not anticipate almost ten years ago.
He alerts me to sounds that I cannot hear - door bells, fire alarms, and (most importantly to me as a baker) the cooker timer.
But in addition he has opened doors to people. As someone who has been profoundly deaf since birth, all my life I have found interacting with people a challenge - whether in a shop, in a pub, or on the street, if people do not realise I am deaf, they will turn away and I can no longer lip-read, and at best the conversation becomes confusing, at worst it ends. With Inca by my side, people see that I am deaf and the conversation becomes so much easier. The result is that I have lots of friends., and life is so much better.
Every penny I raise will help more hearing dog puppies to be trained, so that one day they can transform a deaf person's life.
Hearing dogs are highly trained to alert deaf people to important and life-saving sounds, such as the smoke alarm, alarm clocks and even intruder alarms and baby monitors. They also provide lots of love, companionship and emotional support, which is really important as many deaf people can feel lonely and isolated.
It costs £25,000 to fully train a hearing dog, so the challenge I am taking on is a great way to raise funds to train more dogs. Any donation, however large or small, will really help.
Thank you.
Martin must be mad!