HOMEBUILDER DONATES £1,000 TO NORTHAMPTONSHIRE CHARITY SUPPORTING THE DEAF

A charity has received a £1,000 donation from Northamptonshire homebuilder Barratt Homes to help towards its work providing support the deaf and hard of hearing members of the local community.

Barratt Homes’ contribution will help to ensure Deafconnect can continue to offer its support to people in communities across Northamptonshire, through specialist schemes set up for adults, children and the families of those affected by deafness.

The donation from the leading developer will go towards funding the charity’s classes at the Spencer Dallington Community Centre which include support and wellbeing groups, British Sign Language classes and interpreting services.

Jenni Dawkins, Chief Executive Officer at Deafconnect, said: “The whole team here were delighted to hear that we had been nominated as we struggle to get our name known. We are a niche support service, so people only tend to know about what Deafconnect has to offer if they have been signposted to us through their social or healthcare workers.

“When I looked into Barratt Homes’ Community Fund scheme, I thought it was a fantastic way for a company to support local charities that often get overlooked by the big well-known donors. Usually there is reams of paperwork to fill in to even be considered so this was such a lovely surprise.

“We’d like to say thank you to Barratt Homes for awarding us the £1,000. The donation really will make a difference. We do rely heavily on donations and grant funding and much of the latter has disappeared due to Covid, so we have been tightening our belts accordingly as have many other charities.”

Deafconnect was founded in 1874 and has been a staple in the Northamptonshire community by helping those who are deaf and hard of hearing in a variety of different ways.

The charity also run a community café where young people who suffer with deafness or are hard of hearing can learn essential life skills and become integrated within their community.

Amer Alkhalil, Managing Director at Barratt Homes Northampton, said: “We are so pleased to be able to support Deafconnect and the important work it is doing.

“It is important to us as a leading housebuilder to recognise and support local charities and organisations which help the communities near our developments.”