Horsforth woman named volunteer of the month by hearing support charity

Volunteer of the Month was introduced by the charity, which is part of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, to recognise volunteers who have done something exceptional, consistently go the extra mile, or whose understated volunteering deserves to be brought to the fore.

Emmanuelle was diagnosed with severe hearing loss shortly before moving to England from France with her husband in 2004. Nonetheless, she bravely took up the challenge of adapting to life in a new country and learning a new language without hearing.

She joined Hearing Link Services as a peer support volunteer in 2014, and has since played a key role in its LinkUp support groups, and is a highly regarded member of its Helpdesk team, drawing on her own experience of hearing loss to provide the very best support to callers.

Emmanuelle recently gave up hours of her time to help develop the charity’s pioneering new initiative, Helpful Hours, and is now an accomplished presenter of these 60-minute sessions that offer invaluable information and guidance on important hearing loss topics.

Nicholas Orpin, Service Delivery Manager for Hearing Link Services, described Emmanuelle as an ‘exceptional volunteer’, saying, “She epitomises what it means to be an advocate for deafened people; raising awareness with her unique eloquence and belief that life can still be good, even without all your hearing.

“Her passion and honesty are compelling”, he added. “She speaks straight from the heart; not promising miracles, but engaging warmly with other people, and through lived experience.”

Emmanuelle said she was proud to receive such a wonderful accolade from the charity, adding, “It is more than simply recognition of the work I and my fellow colleagues put in, it is the commitment of a service and a team to embrace inclusion on a daily basis.

“Along with Hearing Dogs, I help people take ownership of their hearing loss, to embrace it and live fully; it is such a positive and rewarding experience!”