Campaign to raise awareness for deaf children in region
A teaching assistant is determined to raise awareness of deafness in children and has started a fundraising campaign after her two nephews were diagnosed with hearing difficulties.
Mother-of-two Kim Simpson, aged 34, from Willenhall, started fundraising for the National Deaf Children's Society after her nephews, Ben and Jack Bayliss, from Cheslyn Hay, were diagnosed as profoundly deaf.
She has already managed to raise £777 by holding raffles and charity events.
Now she is planning to hold an Easter event at the Wesley Church in Short Heath from 1pm to 3pm on April 16 to raise even more funds.
People will pay £5-a-ticket and each child will receive an Easter egg from the Easter Bunny and be able to take part in various craft activities and an Easter Bonnet Parade.
Kim, who started her fundraising last August, hopes that by the same month this year to have raised a total of £1,000 or even more.
She said: "It was really hard for my sister to discover the boys were deaf and she found it difficult.
"The boys, who are now two-years-old, are identical twins and they were one-year-old when they had an operation for cochlear ear inplants.
"I am a teaching assistant at Bentley West Foundation School in Willenhall which is a mainstream school but also caters for children with hearing difficulties.
"I want to raise awareness while raising as much money as I can for the Society."
Rachel Tonks, mother of Ben and Jack Bayliss, said: "They were diagnosed as being deaf when they were born and failed the screening test at the hospital.
"I was completely shocked and did not know what to do.
"We just thought of all the negatives but, thanks to the National Deaf Children's Society, we have received information and help to access sign language courses and speed and language therapy.
"We had a lot of help from Wolverhampton Deaf Children's Society which is funded by the national body and since moving to Cheslyn Hay have found help from South Staffordshire which provides a free local service for parents.
"I cannot praise my sister enough for helping raise awareness and funds for the Society,"
