Open Ears is constituted by deed of Trust (29/7/1979) and is a registered charity, 284487.  The address is that of the administrator, Mrs. C. Pitts, 11 York Ave., New Milton, Hampshire, BH25 6BT

The charity is administered by the committee and trustees.   The trustees are:  Janet Andrews, Mary Bucknall, Don Mason, Christine Pitts, and Tracy Williamson.  The remaining committee consists of: Edwin Astill, Marylin Kilsby, Richard Livermore, Ken Wiggett and Jean Wiggett. John Bullamore, treasurer, retired in January but continued helping until April when our new treasurer, Edwin Astill, joined us.

Open Ears is an interdenominational Christian fellowship of whom the majority of members are hearing impaired and mostly wear hearing aids, a few with cochlear implants, which enable them to communicate and make their contribution to society.   The aims of the fellowship are to give advice, support and encouragement and to foster Christian fellowship and evangelism among the hearing impaired, to provide them with supplementary Bible teaching and to encourage them in local church commitment.   To help in this, information is provided to church leaders on the special needs of their hearing impaired members and how they can help them.

Open Ears Worldwide is an important activity of the fellowship.  Unwanted hearing aids are collected, tested by sympathetic professional volunteers and sent overseas to deprived children and young people resident in government and mission schools.   This opens up educational and employment opportunities for impoverished children and also gives an opening for the Christian gospel.   In recent years we have been able to broaden the scope of this work by making short-term visits to third world countries to test hearing impaired children and adults and, if appropriate, fit them with hearing aids.

In 2010:

• Three editions of the magazine “Hearing Eye” were produced with a circulation of about 250 magazines per issue.
• We were able to have a small ‘pod’ as part of the ‘Churches for All’ zone in the Christian Resources Exhibition in May where copies of our new information leaflet were distributed.
• A committee prayer day was held in September in Reading.
• A 5 day holiday/conference was enjoyed by approximately 35 members in June at Hinsley Hall in Leeds
• The Development Worker continued to make pastoral visits to various members and also hosted several group meetings.
• The committee met four times during the year.
• Marylin Kilsby became our representative to ‘Churches for All’ and attended several of their meetings throughout the year.
• Open Ears Worldwide has continued to receive and collect redundant hearing aids, both private and NHS. Several thousand aids were sent to the developing world. In March a three week visit was made to the deaf school inEthiopiawhere the children’s hearing was tested and hearing aids fitted as appropriate, batteries and materials were given, also training in testing and fitting hearing aids.
• We gave some financial support to the Anchor Project helping deaf people in Pakistan, until they were able to establish their own banking arrangements in Pakistan.

Members of the fellowship have continued to give generously to enable the aims to be fulfilled.   Funds have been sufficient for the continuing support of the part-time staff worker.   Administrative costs have been sufficient. The restricted funds – Care and Share and Special Equipment – have continued at a reasonable level.

Related posts:

1. 2011 Conference