Barclays lends support to Hearing Loop Awareness Week (2-8 November)
Barclays has pledged its support to the national campaign ‘Hearing Loop Awareness Week’ led by the UK-wide charity Hearing Link.
Taking place this week (2-8 November), Hearing Loop Awareness Week aims to raise greater awareness and understanding of hearing loops – a vital piece of technology for hearing aid users across the UK.
Currently 1 in 6 adults (around 10 million people) have hearing loss in the UK and around two million are hearing aid users. Hearing loops, which are commonly found in banks, shops, libraries, pharmacies and other public buildings, provide valuable communication support by cutting out background noise and delivering sound directly into a hearing aid.
However, lack of awareness of hearing loops means that not all are in full working order, have poor signage or in some cases are not switched on.
During Hearing Loop Awareness Week, Hearing Link and its volunteers will aim to build the biggest picture of hearing loop provision ever compiled in the UK by carrying out audits in local communities to check on quality and availability – and Barclays is lending its support!
Barclays is committed to making its products and services accessible to everyone and has introduced new ways to make banking easier for people who have, or are impacted by disability, health conditions or impairments such as hearing loss.
New technology has been piloted at selected branches across the UK, as part of its Beacons at Barclays project, which let its staff know when customers who need extra support arrive in branch. Barclays also offer SignVideo, an instant interpretation service for BSL users, hearing loops for people with hearing loss, as well as text relay phone service and mobile and online banking.
Kathryn Townsend, Head of Customer & Client Accessibility at Barclays said: “We are proud to support Hearing Loop Awareness Week organised by the charity Hearing Link. Hearing loops are a vital piece of technology within customer service environments to ensure that people don’t face barriers to communication. This initiative will bring this piece of technology into the spotlight and help raise awareness of its importance to people with hearing loss.”
Dr Lorraine Gailey, Chief Executive of Hearing Link, added: “We are delighted to have the support of Barclays for Hearing Loop Awareness Week. With its backing we can reach more people and generate more understanding about the value of hearing loops for people with hearing loss.”
All data gathered during the surveys for Hearing Loop Awareness Week will be compiled, mapped and published on partner site http://letsloopnow.com
If you would like to get involved in Hearing Loop Awareness Week or have a question about hearing loss, contact Hearing Link’s Helpdesk on helpdesk@hearinglink.org; tel: 0300 111 1113 or SMS: 07526 123255.
For further information about Hearing Link please contact: Lorna Armstrong, Marketing & Communications Manager by emailing lorna.armstrong@hearinglink.org or Tel/SMS: 07534 563485.
For more information about accessible services at Barclays visit www.barclays.co.uk/Accessibility or follow @BarclaysAccess on Twitter.
For further information about accessible services at Barclays please contact accessibility@barclays.com.
About Hearing Link
Hearing Link is a UK charity for people who have developed any level of hearing loss and their family and friends. It provides information and support and puts them in contact with others who have similar experiences. It aims to give people the knowledge, skills, confidence and contacts so they can more easily manage the practical and emotional challenges that hearing loss brings. It works across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
About Barclays
Barclays is an international financial services provider engaged in personal, corporate and investment banking, credit cards and wealth management with an extensive presence in Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia. Barclays’ purpose is to help people achieve their ambitions – in the right way. With 325 years of history and expertise in banking, Barclays operates in over 50 countries and employs over 130,000 people. Barclays moves, lends, invests and protects money for customers and clients worldwide. For further information about Barclays, please visit www.barclays.com.
About Hearing Loop Awareness Week
Hearing Loop Awareness Week takes place from November 2-8 2015. Hearing Link currently has 10 ‘Let’s Loop’ groups across the UK in Eastbourne, Surrey, Lewes, Worthing, Swindon, Westminster, Chester, Poynton (Manchester), Newcastle and Derby. Further groups are being established in Salisbury, Calne (Wiltshire), Cotswolds, Epping Forest, Redbridge (Essex), Londonderry, Belfast and Edinburgh. There are 10 million people in the UK with some form of hearing loss – one in six of the population. 3.7 million people between the ages of 16 to 64-years-old and 6.3 million are aged 65 and over. 70% of 70-year-olds and 40% of 50-year-olds have some form of a hearing loss. Four million people in the UK would benefit from the use of using a hearing aid. By 2031 that figure is expected to reach 14.5 million.