Charity coffee morning at Funeral Directors

Local folk who stopped by for freshly brewed coffee had the opportunity to not only buy from a delicious selection of home-made cakes (a joint effort of Mummery staff) but were also invited to to take a free hearing health check.

Paula Balchin, Funeral Arranger at Mummery's Bexhill offices, said RNID was their chosen charity of the year and they were hoping the coffee morning would raise at least 100 for RNID's vital 'Hear to Help' project.

Paula said: "We are supporting RNID to help change the world for the nine million people in the UK who are deaf or hard of hearing.

The 'Hear to Help' project reduces isolation for people with hearing loss by providing practical support and, with the help of members of the local community, we are determined to raise as much money as possible for this worthwhile cause."

RNID's Regional Coordinator for London & South East, Ruth O'Sullivan provided information on the RNID and performed the hearing checks throughout the morning at Bexhill.

The simple, easy check, which takes less than two minutes to complete, involves listening to a series of numbers spoken at varying levels with, and without, background noise.

Paula said: "The check indicates the level which someone hears at - if it's below a certain level then we recommend they see their GP."

In addition, Paula said it's not just the elderly who suffer with hearing loss as the increased trend for headphone use has left many young people suffering, and she said the RNID will be lobbying parliament to get free hearing checks:

"People as young as twenty five are suffering from hearing loss due to headphone use and we want to lobby parliament to get a free NHS hearing check."

The free RNID hearing checks are also available on-line or over the phone.

For more information call 0808 808 0123 or visit the website at:www.rnid.org.uk