SILHILLIAN employment specialists experienced a day in the life of a deaf person to mark a fundraising milestone.
Employees at Chelmsley Wood-based Pertemps People Development Group (PPDG) went ‘Deaf for a Day’ to raise money for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and to celebrate the company’s decade of charitable giving.
Staff wore special earplugs to replicate the disability, raising over £500 for the charity.
Over the last 10 years, PPDG have donated over £250,000 to various charities as part of their Payroll Giving scheme, which sees a small amount of each staff member’s monthly salary deducted and instead donated to charities and good causes.
Local resident Howard Hodgkisson and his labrador Doree joined staff to receive the donation on behalf of the charity and talk about his experiences.
He said: “Doree has been my hearing dog and companion for the past 14 years.
“As I’m profoundly deaf she alerts me to someone at the front door or the phone ringing.”
“Without the help of the payroll giving scheme I would still be isolated from society and could not be so independent.”
Helen Forman, an employeed and Payroll Giving member who took part in the ‘Deaf for a Day’ event, said: “Hearing Dogs is a wonderful charity that receives no regular support except that of the public and I’m particularly proud that we can assist people like Howard to lead more fulfilling lives.”
