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Ann Sargent, founder of EAR4U won a Silver award for services to the community at the 2026 Hillington Community awards at the Battle of Britain Bunker Exhibition and Visitor Centre in Uxbridge.
Ann said: “My journey with EAR4U started when I suddenly lost my hearing overnight while I was raising three young children, I had no advice, no support – I was just told to get on with it. Through EAR4U, I try to offer practical guidance, emotional support and advocacy for people navigating hearing loss… Receiving this award is still sinking in, but it really feels like the push to go on after some very difficult years.”
EAR4U Goes to LegolandMy companion for the day was Belle, she is a lovely girl of just fourteen years old who suffers from Hirschspungs disease this affects her digestive system but also her sight and hearing will, and is slowly decreasing, meaning she may one day have to wear a BAHA. She came to me through her mum as her mum Ellie was receiving no help or support for Belle and her hearing problems.Ellie dropped off Belle at my house, where we were taken by car to the Legoland Hotel, Windsor. Wow! What a surprise, it looked as if it had been made out of lego bricks!! We were greeted by lovely staff who told us to go to our floor by lift, which was worked by a card we were given. The hall and lounge we were to use was lovely. We were greeted by the smell of coffee and hot croissants!The OTICON team were there to greet us, along with a few others that I knew, we all greeted each other and then sat and had coffee and lovely chocolate croissants.The team called us into the hall where there were about eighty people – from babies with the soft band to older wearers, it was great for me and Belle to be in a room with so many people just like us!!The team told us a bit about the new aids that are now available, including the SuperPlus which covers a wider range of hearing loss. Also a new soft band is coming out.The talks were from a young man of approximately Belles age, telling his story his way even to the school having an assembly for him to be able to overcome his worries and help his friends to understand and support him, which seems to have worked, as his mum said he is now happy and doing well, with support from aids used in the classroom.A slightly older boy and his mother told how she felt that having to make the decision for her son’s future without being able to ask any other wearers, other mums or professionals. Again that question of support cropped up!! But the boy told us how growing up with his aid was, and said that his mother had made the best and right choice for him. There was not a dry eye to be seen, it was quite moving.At the Royal Throat, Nose and Ear hospital in Grays Inn Road, London, there is a BAHA support group, to which I am a secretary, where we have a clinic every month, the surgeon will not see anyone before they have seen us. There are over two hundred people on our register. Most people say they found it really helpful to see the BAHA team, where thay can ask ‘silly’ questions, mine was "can I dye my hair" – I didn’t want to be deaf and grey! This is one reason why I set up EAR4U, something that I was able to point-out during the 'Question Time'. I asked the 80 people in the room "how many had seen someone to talk to who was a BAHA wearer prior to the fitting of the BAHA" only one person had, but even she had to ask her consultant to be put in touch with someone!!After the talk it was time to go to legoland Fun Park. What a great time we had! We laughed at some of the group when they were on the rides, then the laugh was on me as Belle said we are going on the spiders web ride Ann! We were spun round and round as if caught in the web with Belle spinning the wheel to make it spin even faster!! We got off and Belle laughed as I couldn’t walk straight as my eyes wouldn’t focus.Finally, after a few more rides it was time to make our way home. We had lots of fun, met new people and learnt a lot! The main thing being that we need more volunteers to come and see the people who attend our clinics, to help and advice them before they make this life changing choice for the future.
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Drop in at Manor Farm Library
No2 Manor Farm Road, Bury Street, Ruislip HA4 7SU
f: facebook.com/www.EAR4U.co.uk/
Registered Charity No. 1129338