12:50pm Friday 27th January 2012
Around 2,500 people in Trowbridge could be tested for hearing loss this year after a new campaign was launched in the town.
Action on Hearing Loss, formerly RNID, has teamed up with Specsavers opticians to get one million people in Britain to test their hearing for free this year.
The Trowbridge branch, in The Shires shopping centre, hopes thousands of residents in the town will take up the offer.
People can drop in to the branch without an appointment and take a two-minute check using a set of headphones and an iPad. If a problem is recognised they will then be booked in for a full hearing test.
The campaign was launched last Friday by Dr Andrew Murrison, MP for South West Wiltshire. He said: “This check-up is very accessible for people who can come in off the street and hopefully some people will benefit from having had the test done.”
Kate Plant, hearing aid audiologist at the store, said: “One in three people with hearing difficulties is too embarrassed to wear a hearing aid and refuses to visit an audiologist for advice.
“Our partnership with Action on Hearing Loss will hopefully go some way to help reduce the perception that wearing hearing aids is something to be ashamed of.”
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/trade_directory/