Grants Benefit The Hearing Impaired

Manchester City Council has provided two grants to a Northenden community organisation so that it can provide facilities that will benefit the hearing impaired.

The grants totalling £6,400 have been given to St Michael and All Angels Community Hall in Orton Road, Northern Moor to install hearing loop systems.

The church hall will become more accessible as people with partial hearing will be able to pick up speech transmitted to their hearing aids via microphones positioned around the hall.

Manchester City Council provides Disabled Access Grants of this kind to community organisations who want to make improvements that will be of benefit to disabled people.

St Michael and All Angels was chosen to receive the support as a wide range of social groups - ranging from Brownies to Age Concern – would benefit from the loop system.

Manchester City Council Executive Member for the Environment councillor Richard Cowell said: “Manchester City Council promotes equality and seeks to ensure that disabled people are not restricted from using community facilities.

“The Disabled Access Grant has been available for over twenty years and groups across the city have benefited.

“Grants can be given to improve access into buildings, provide disabled toilets and install facilities for those with hearing impairments, together with other improvements which will benefit disabled people.

“This is one key contribution to the Council’s vision of making Manchester the most accessible city in Europe.”

Reverend Keith Justice of Northern Moor Parish Church said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive the disabled access grant from Manchester City Council.

“It will mean that our busy and thriving community hall is now fully accessible to all members of the community.

“Recently we started a new dance group for the older generation and this system will be of great benefit to them.”

Interested groups and organisation are welcome to apply to Manchester City Council for support on improving facilities for disabled people.