Friday 6 November 2015

PLEASE LOOK AT PEOPLE WHEN YOU SPEAK TO THEM

I am probably breaking copyright law by reproducing this but I am sure the author would approve of me putting it here on my Blog.  This poem must have been written either by a deaf or hearing impaired person or by someone who worked with them and knew exactly what a hearing impaired person feels.   And yes, I am a hearing impaired person too (one of 10 million in this country) and I attend a Hearing Impaired class where we learn lip reading.  It really helps us so please, please, do read this and look at people when you speak to them.   Drop me a line if you are hearing impaired.

Numbers Lament


If the person you're serving seems very slow,
It could be they're deaf, it's quite common you know.
Though we try very hard we often get muddled,
Don't think that we're daft or our brains are befuddled.
Out shopping, the phone or in everyday life,
Deaf people and numbers – the problem is rife!


One is OK it is easy to see
Two can be hard, it can sound like it's three,
Four and seven, well they are quite game,
but five and nine can sound quite the same.
Watching lips with six, then eight, nine and ten,
We ask “Did you say...'....? Or, please write down with a pen.


The teens and ten can lead to disaster,
Especially when it is money you're after.
Is it thirteen or thirty?, that's asking a lot,
One/three and three/zero are better to spot.
With hundreds and thousands and even for years,
Just break into numbers – much kinder for ears.


Please spare a thought for those who can't hear,
They'll be watching your lips and standing quite near.
Do get our attention before you start speaking,
Don't shout, hide your mouth or speak when you're eating.
We do want to hear you, we are trying so hard,
So don't leave us out 'cos our hearing is marred.

Tuesday 4 August 2015

Consultation Day at our Penkridge Library again BUT WILL THEY LISTEN?

Staffordshire County Council are again consulting with Penkridge residents about our Library.  This time its the Opening Hours.   Not "when do you want it open?" But, "You can only have 28 hours (less than Eccleshall), and we give you four options (none of which suit me)". 

The Friends of Penkridge Library fought very hard last year to represent the views of Penkridge Community.  The largest petition in Staffordshire, we addressed the County Councillors, we were mentioned in the House of Commons - and we won.  They agreed we would remain a County Council managed and delivered Library, keeping our Librarians.   NOW they are still going on about if you want anything different from what we are proposing, then you must provide Volunteers.  We have already said loud and clear that OUR LIBRARY IS A STATUTORY SERVICE (and Volunteers demonstrated many years ago that we needed qualified librarians to run a permanent service). 

So, once again, the Friends are out in force in the community asking our residents to complete the "extremely difficult to obtain" Consultation Forms, and tell our County Council what hours they wish our library to be operating in the future.   AND DON'T FORGET, WE ARE TO HAVE 335 NEW HOUSES BUILT AT LYNE HILL SO OUR POPULATION IS GOING TO INCREASE BY AT LEAST 700 PEOPLE - AND IF ONLY HALF CAN READ AND WISH TO BORROW BOOKS FROM OUR LIBRARY, THEN THEY ARE GOING TO GET A LOT MORE BORROWERS COMING THROUGH THE LIBRARY DOOR.

Finally, here are a few photos I took today when the Friends were setting up their stall outside the Library.   YOU HAVE UNTIL 2 SEPTEMBER TO SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS, EITHER ON THE CONSULTATION FORM OBTAINABLE FROM BELBROOK LIBRARY, PENKRIDGE, OR ONLINE BY CLICKING ON THE LINK BELOW http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/openinghours