£151,000 boost for deaf kids in Ulster

From: Belfast Telegraph, UK - Jul 1, 2004

By Gary Grattan
ggrattan@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
01 July 2004

LOCAL deaf children and their families are to benefit from a £151,000 funding boost from the Big Lottery Fund, the largest of the National Lottery good cause distributors.

The funding is part of a £600,000 funding package to five Northern Ireland community and voluntary organisations.

The grant of £151,131 goes to the National Deaf Children's Society in Northern Ireland.

Deaf children from all over the province will benefit from the funding, which will pay for information and advocacy services, peer education programmes and social initiatives.

The Big Lottery Fund's two-year grant will support the salaries of family officers, a programme development officer, travel and training for staff and volunteers and producing information.

Pauline Walker, NI director of the National Deaf Children's Society, said that the funding would make a huge difference to local deaf children and their families.

"We are the only national charity specifically working with deaf children and their families. Ninety per cent of deaf children grow up in hearing families with little or no experience of deafness, and we offer an essential resource not only for babies, children and young adults, but also to the families who are affected by a child's deafness."

2004 Independent News and Media (NI) a division of Independent News & media (UK) Ltd