STEVE Muxworthy, the Midlands fundraiser for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, shared his enthusiasm and experience with members as he spoke of the range and responsibilities of his charity.

One person in seven experiences some degree of hearing loss, and many of these would benefit from having a dog trained to respond to sound and to alert and lead its owner.

Whilst deaf people can observe what is going on around them they live in a bubble which inhibits their involvement in everyday life. This can be a very isolating, lonely and at times embarrassing disability.

Bruce Fogle, a vet, observed how in the USA many deaf people were benefiting from dogs trained to support them and bringing increased independence, greater confidence, companionship and security. So in 1982, and helped with the gift of a small stud farm, the charity began work and has trained over 1,500 dogs since then.

The dogs themselves vary from the largest, scruffiest mongrel to the smallest pedigree, around 60% of the dogs are rescued, some are gifts and some specially bred. Almost any dog can be methodically taught to respond to sounds which have an impact on our lives; traffic, alarms, bells, knocking at doors, calls, telephones, greetings, a child's cry. Simple signals are taught, using posture, contact and movement, by which a dog, on hearing a particular sound and knowing it's significance can signal to its companion and lead them appropriately.

Training is demanding and costly, taking two years and costing some £23,000, but the outcomes are life transforming. The charity matches and trains each person in handling their dog, and supervises their care and progress through regular visits and advice. Around 150 dogs can be trained each year, but applications for them run at over 400 annually, and costs continue to rise. But thanks to the generosity of supporters and the growing understanding of the great benefits of its work Hearing Dogs is able to carry on its work in the community.