Did you know that over 820,000 people in the UK suffer from profound hearing loss? That number of people would fill the Olympic stadium in London more than 10 times!
Deafness can be a very isolating disability and one that is often underestimated and misunderstood.
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People is a unique charity that helps profoundly deaf adults and children by training hearing dogs to alert them to important sounds and danger signals. And, through their distinctive jackets, hearing dogs make the invisible disability of deafness visible - helping deaf people communicate with the world around them.
Imagine not being able to hear the cooker timer, the doorbell ringing or the sound of your alarm clock. Imagine falling asleep on the train and missing your stop because you don’t hear the announcement. And consider the possibly more serious consequences of not being able to hear a smoke alarm or an intruder. Many deaf people say that anxiety over things like this means they struggle to sleep at night and can lead to depression.
Our incredible dogs work in partnership with deaf people; providing them with security, independence and confidence. Our aim is to help more deaf children and adults each year - creating 140 new partnerships this year alone - whilst continuing to support the 960 that already exist.
We need a new van (aka, the ‘Pup-mobile’) so we can move people, puppies, dogs, the display team and equipment to all the different places they need to go. This could be…..
• Moving puppies between our training centres and satellite areas in Buckinghamshire, Yorkshire, Southampton and Scotland
• Transporting our display team to events, where they’ll demonstrate the amazing work of our dogs and help raise awareness of the Charity
• Taking applicants and their potential hearing dog out and about to practice working together in different environments – such as towns or city centres
• Delivering a hearing dog and all equipment (bed, food, toys) to its new recipient
• Getting dogs to the vets for health checks
The vehicle we are currently using has done 122,000 miles. It’s unreliable, has left people and dogs stranded, and spends more time in the garage than on the road!
It’s too small to fit many of the things we need to transport so we often have to take a second vehicle – more money on fuel, more time wasted for a second staff member. The current vehicle is shared between the training team, display team and dog welfare team, so when one team uses the vehicle it can impact on another. A new van would alleviate this problem, making it much easier for us to coordinate group trips, as the new van will have more capacity and give us far more flexibility.
Our new van will be multi-functional so it can fulfil the needs of different teams in the Charity, transporting dogs and people in comfort. And, if we’re really lucky, we’re hoping to brand it with a brilliant, all-over wrap so it raises awareness of the charity and it’s work wherever it goes.
We simply can’t afford to buy a van without your help! We don’t receive any government funding and we rely solely on the generosity of our supporters.
Just look on the right to see the exciting and unique rewards that we’re offering to thank you for your fantastic support. Pledges start from £5.00. All of our rewards are special but project backers also have the chance to get one of our EXCLUSIVE REWARDS, which are only available through the crowdfunding project:
SIGNED PAUL WILKINSON PRINT
This exclusive reward is a mounted print of gorgeous hearing dog Cocker Spaniel puppy, Bond, for which Paul Wilkinson was awarded UK Pet and Livestock Photographer of the Year at the 2013 Master Photography Awards. Choose your print in full colour or black and white - available in two sizes: 10" (30cm x 40cm) or 8" (30cm x 25cm). Here's a preview.
COMPANY AWAY-DAY
We are offering the chance to spend a day at our beautiful training centre in Buckinghamshire, where you'll have use of our fully-equipped boardroom in the Farmhouse, with breakout rooms. The day includes refreshments, lunch and a site tour with a special demonstration from a hearing dog. Perfect for hosting a company away day, board, team or sales meeting or consider it a wonderful venue for important training.
Available Monday - Wednesday and Fridays, 9:30 - 5:00, 17 September 2014 to 25 November 2014, 2 December to 18 December 2014, and up to May 2015. Please select a couple of dates in case we have other bookings. Only 8 available - pledge now!
QUIZ NIGHT
One of the exclusive rewards you can get your hands on is a Quiz Night at our beautiful site in Buckinghamshire. Starting from £300.00 this reward is perfect for a company social event or simply getting a group of people together. You bring the people, choose the team names (up to six people per team) and we'll do the rest! There will be five rounds of questions with fun topics, including, 'famous faces', 'animal behaviour', 'musical intros' and 'body parts interactive'!
The quiz night starts from £300.00 for 25 people, and please add an additional £12.00 per head for extra people, up to a total of 55 people. The price includes two drinks per person and nibbles, and parking is available on-site.
Available Monday - Friday, 7.30pm - 10.00pm from 17 September to 21 November 2014 or 2015 dates. Bookings subject to availability. Only 5 available - pledge now!
What's more, everyone who pledges will get that warm feeling that comes from knowing a hearing dog puppy or deaf child can travel to where they need to go in comfort and safety.