BURTON Albion will host half time ‘deafblind penalties’ as the Brewers take on Brentford on Tuesday, March 6, 7.30pm kick off.
To raise awareness of combined sight and hearing loss the club will be teaming up with national charity Deafblind UK and inviting fans onto the pitch to take a penalty whilst wearing an eye mask and ear defenders.
The aim is to make fans aware of the dangers of not looking after their eyes and ears and to help them understand just how challenging everyday tasks can be for those living with deafblindness.
Lee Milligan, Events and Partnerships Officer, at Burton Albion Community Trust said: “We are proud to be involved with such an initiative and we know how vital it is that we raise awareness of sight and hearing loss.”
Shirley Scotcher, from Deafblind UK, said: “Deafblindness - or combined sight and hearing loss - is a growing issue in the UK, and predictions suggest that by 2030 there could be as many as 6 million people in the UK who are struggling with combined sight and hearing loss. This could be the fastest growing disability in the UK, yet many of us don’t realise that we’re affected by it or that support is available for it.
“We are working with football clubs to highlight the value of looking after your sight and hearing, because once these senses have gone, it is almost impossible to the get them back, and can lead to a life of loneliness and isolation. We have found that when people experience what it may be like to have reduced vision and hearing, they start to look after their sight by wearing the right eye protection and they start to turn down their head phones!”
Celebrating its 90th anniversary this year, Deafblind UK supports people with sight and hearing loss to live the lives they want. It provides a wide range of direct support services and also supports other organisations to help their own staff and customers.
To take part in the deafblind penalties on March 6, listen out for announcements at half time.