New Lip-Reading Groups in Consett and Stanley, starting November 2024

Our Aim

DDS helps and supports people who have acquired hearing loss who find that a hearing aid is not enough.

We aim to do this by providing information, support and advocacy to enable them to cope with their disability and to understand and meet their communication needs. We are a local charity based in Horden (the heart of the Durham Coalfields Area) and covering all of County Durham and Darlington. You may like to watch our video ‘Are you listening?’ which shows some of the difficulties – and some solutions.

DDS provide services where they are needed most, with small informal lip-reading / support groups, individual support, Dealing with Deafness weeks and various other activities held throughout County Durham and Darlington. They are attended by people who have been referred to us by GPs, Social Care and Health, Hearing Therapists or who have contacted us directly.

We provide a holistic approach to hearing loss and advocate looking after the body as a whole not just the ears and provide activities such as Yoga. 

We offer tinnitus support mainly within groups although 1 to 1 appointments are available if required.  Our Tinnitus Lay Counsellor has received training from the British Tinnitus Association.

We offer a range of activities for members such as Crafts, Communication via IT, short walks for health and Theatre Groups to our members.

Why DDS was started?

DDS was established in 1998 when Jane Atkinson from East Durham found that after losing most of her ‘useful’ hearing she didn't fit in. She found no benefit from hearing aids or equipment such as amplified phones, yet she wasn’t a BSL (sign language) user. She described herself as ‘a hearing person without hearing’. She could find nothing to help her, not even a lipreading class. So DDS is the result of her determination to change that situation for others with acquired hearing loss. 

If you find yourself (or a family member) having similar problems please get in touch for further information.  We look forward to hearing from you!

Important Milestone

We celebrated our 20th Birthday on the 8th May 2018.  It was great to see so many of you present at the celebration.  

We would like to share the photo of the cutting of the celebration cake with you!

Dementia Friendly Communities

Members at Durham Deafened Support are now trained as Dementia Friends; building dementia friendly communities.

Award for Jane Atkinson

We are delighted to announce that Jane Atkinson was the proud recipient of an Award given by Horden Parish Council as recognition for her hard work and dedication towards delivering services for those with acquired hearing loss