Trowbridge drop in event for Deafblind Awareness Week

Wiltshire Council Hearing and Vision Team is holding an event to answer questions and share advice in relation to sight and hearing impairment as part of Deafblind Awareness Week (opens new window) this month.

The team will be at County Hall, Trowbridge on Tuesday 25 June from 11am to 3pm.

People can meet with dual sensory specialists to ask any questions around dual sensory loss and what support is available. There will also be a small selection of equipment on display and people can have a go at learning a tactile form of communication such as deafblind manual or Block alphabet.  

Justin, who now works at Wiltshire Council, explains his deafblind journey and how he has adapted life to suit his needs.

I was born, in South Africa, with defective optic nerves. Doctors labelled the condition optic atrophy. I lost my hearing at about five years of age after contracting tick bite fever. So I've grown up with minimal vision and have had no hearing for most of my life. We didn't know about deafblind manual or hands on sign language. Mum just tried writing letters on my palm which seemed to work and this developed into the main way to communicate.

I worked in various roles at HSBC for 15 years. Started as an analyst in children's social care at Wiltshire Council after I was made redundant six years ago. I walk to the office with my guide dog Ned who is very popular and gets a fuss from everyone at work. I use screen magnification software to read the computer screen and I've always had a CCTV video magnifier for paper documents etc but use it less and less with everything being digital these days and easier to access online. The Chat facility in Teams makes it really easy to communicate with colleagues within the team and across the wider business.

Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of Wiltshire Council, said: Our team will be at Trowbridge, County Hall on 25 June to answer any questions people may have as well as provide an insight into life for those who are deafblind and the support available to them.

This is an invaluable session, and I would encourage people to drop in and speak to the team, whether it's to learn more about deafblind awareness or to ask about the support available for a loved one or for themselves.

I'd like to thank the team for their continuous hard work and dedication in supporting those who are adapting their lives to come to terms with this diagnosis.

Wiltshire Council Hearing and Vision Team provide a range of services to people who are blind, have limited or impaired sight, are deaf or have acquired hearing loss. They also help people who are deafblind, which is known as dual sensory impairment (a person who has a significant combination of hearing and sight loss). If you are experiencing problems with day-to-day living such as using a telephone, preparing meals or being active in the community, the Hearing and Vision Team can help.