Hi Kent
Hi Kent is the county of Kent's deaf and hard of hearing registered charity, established in 1986, providing 'Sound support for deaf and hard of hearing people'. In 2007 Hi Kent was the only Kent voluntary organisation to receive the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service.
One person in every five is deaf or hard of hearing, and in Kent there are over 300,000 such people who need our help. Hi Kent makes a very real difference to the lives of people with a hearing loss throughout the county, and currently helps over 66,000 people each year.
From our Resource Centres in Maidstone and Canterbury, and Maidstone Shop, and through our countywide network of hearing aid aftercare clinics, we manage to help more people every year. We depend on our team of dedicated unpaid volunteers for our charitable activities.
This short subtitled film Breaking the Silence contrasts the daily life of a deaf person to that of a hearing person, highlighting the help available from Hi Kent
Hi Kent provides information, assessment and provision of equipment to deafened and hard of hearing people, to help overcome the social isolation that deafness can cause, including:
• Specialist information and advice
• Resource Centres and Shop to view assistive equipment to help in their daily lives
• Assessment and provision of equipment to persons aged 65
• A county-wide network of hearing aid aftercare outreach clinics
• Local Lipreading Classes throughout the county
• Free local Tinnitus Support Groups throughout Kent
• Deaf Awareness Training
• British Sign Language Courses at Levels 1, 2 and 3 and Taster Courses