THIS week and next, the Bionic Ear Show from national charity Deafness Research UK will visit 15 schools and venues on a major and historic inaugural visit to Northern Ireland.
The award-winning roadshow, with its interactive ear protection performance that educates about hearing health, was launched on Monday past at Downey House School in Belfast.
Sponsored by BUPA and the BIG Lottery Fund, the shows will be accompanied as always by the ‘World’s Largest Ear’ and, with free hearing screenings, both types of performance deliver fun information about good ear health.
Deafness Research UK provides free hearing screening to reinforce the importance of looking after your hearing and encourages regular checks to ensure any problems are identified and dealt with early. Screenings take no longer than 15 minutes and up to eight people can be screened at a time.
The final show is at Down High School in Downpatrick on May 3.
The Bionic Ear Show visits schools, colleges and adult community groups far and wide, warning people of the dangers to their hearing from loud noise. Its visiting Northern Ireland, which has a strong industrial history, is particularly appropriate because patterns of hearing loss that were once due to industrial deafness are now being seen again thanks to the misuse of MP3 players. The Bionic Ear show aims to tackle this issue.
The rise in cases of deafness and tinnitus among the young is now ascribed to the use of MP3 players. So, together with informative and entertaining hearing facts, the show educates the MP3 generation (children and adults alike) on ways to enjoy their favourite sounds safely. The show also visits businesses to remind workers of the need to take responsibility for their own hearing health in the workplace, which remains a relevant message in today’s construction industry.
“The revolution in MP3 technology has given us music on the move, but an unwelcome side effect is that dangerously high volumes affect people’s ears for prolonged periods. This also happens at an earlier age than ever,” said Vivienne Michael, chief executive of Deafness Research UK.
Anyone who would like the roadshow to visit their school, community group or event free of charge should contact Laura Turner at Deafness Research UK on 020 7164 2294 or email Laura at laura.turner@deafnessresearch.org.uk. The schedule is subject to change, but an up to date version and further information can be found on the website at www.bionicearshow.org