Hearing Aids

Fareham Lions Club Hearing Aids

Deafness – a hidden disability.

It is difficult to know if the person you are talking to has heard or understands what you have said. Deafness is the 2nd largest disability in the British Isles, only surpassed by mobility.

Imagine 1 in 6 people of our community being unable to hear clearly what is being said to them or unable to communicate what they want to say.

Over the years the number of people with a hearing impairment has increased. In 2001 reported figures suggested 8.3 million people in the British Isles suffered from a hearing impairment and this figure has risen to 10.6 million people in 2013. It is thought this figure will rise to 13.3 million in 2016. These figures do not take into account the estimated 4 million people who do not officially register they have a problem with their hearing.

Populations of Scotland + London

= 13 million people

The World Health Organization estimates that by 2050 over 900 million people globally will experience disabling hearing loss.

What do Lions do

Lions Clubs collect unwanted, broken, analogue and digital hearing aids and audiological equipment. Since May 2015, Lions have collected over 90,000 hearing aids and ancillary items.

They then send them on to Dr Michael Nolan of the Starkey Hearing Foundation who receives the donations for sorting and refurbishment. Two workshops are now training at HMP Ranby, and HMP Deerbolt busy sorting and cleaning them ready for sending them out to those in need.

Adults and children with hearing impairment whose lives have been transformed after receiving recycled hearing equipment live in countries including:  Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Peru, Senegal, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Lesotho, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Kenya, Ethiopia, Zanzibar, Madagascar, Ukraine, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, Philippines and Papua New Guinea

What You can do

Drop any old, unwanted, broken hearing aids into one of our bins at a local audiologists. You can place them in bins for the spectacles we also collect.

They can be analogue or digital hearing aids.

We can take the batteries if they are removed from the aids.

Fareham and Gosport

Specsavers

Vision Express

Boots

Thank you for your donations

“A story from Sri Lanka let me know of a local Tuk Tuk taxi driver who had given up his work owing to difficulties hearing instructions from his passengers. Thanks to a donated hearing aid, he is now back at work and able to support his wife and children. Without Lions help, the family’s future would have been very bleak.”  Dr Michael Nolan Audiological Consultant