Festive opening hours and support

The festive season is upon us and there will be some changes to the availability of the services we offer during this period.

This article will explain how you can get in touch during Christmas and New Year if you need hearing loss support, as well as signposting to useful, urgent support that is available year-round.

Our charity will close for the holidays on Friday 22 December at 12noon, reopening on Tuesday 2 January at 9am.

Helpdesk availability

Your Helpdesk questions can be submitted via email or our webform throughout the Christmas period. We will be monitoring these enquiries, we will only be able to respond to urgent requests for support. All other emails will be responded to on our return in early January 2024.

Live Chat

Our Live Chat service will be unavailable from 22 December until 2 January 2024. If you need to reach out for hearing loss support, please complete our webform, or email helpdesk@hearinglink.org.

Online Shop

Our online shop will be closed during the festive period. You will be unable to place orders over the telephone during this time. You can visit our website hearinglink.org/shop to place orders online. These will be dispatched when the Charity opens in early January. For all shop queries, please email shop@hearingdogs.org.uk

What to do if you notice changes in your hearing

To suddenly lose your hearing can be a very frightening and worrying experience. Hearing loss for most people is a gradual progression, but for some people it can be a sudden or very rapid loss.

If you recognise that your hearing noticeably drops over the Christmas, or any other time of the year, it is important to seek urgent medical care from a hospital A&E and ask to see an  Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist.

You can find additional information on our webpage: Sudden sensorineural hearing loss or watch our information video, available on the Self-Help section.

Where to find emotional support

If you are feeling a bit low or lonely over the Christmas period, there are several organisations who can offer a helping hand. These include:

• SignHealth works to improve the mental health and wellbeing of deaf people, who use BSL, through its free crisis text service, self-help videos and much more. If you are deaf and experiencing a crisis you can text DEAF to 85258
• Samaritans are there to support people to reduce feelings of isolation and disconnection which may lead to suicidal thoughts. If you need support, email jo@samaritans.org or call 116123
• Mind specialises in supporting people with mental health challenges to get the help they need. If you have hearing loss and require support, you can reach out to the Mind Helpline by calling (NGT) 18001 0300 123 3393 or emailing info@mind.org.uk.
•  Age UK offer a befriending service for over 60s to chat on the phone with others. To sign up for the service please visit their website.
• Shout 85258 offer a free, confidential, anonymous text support service. If you are struggling to cope and need to talk, trained Shout volunteers are available, day or night. Visit their website to find out more.

From everyone at Hearing Link Services and Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, we wish you a wonderful Christmas and New Year.