As a social enterprise, 100% of our profits are reinvested into our parent charity, Newground Together. Each month, we aim to share how your support creates a meaningful impact. This month, we’re highlighting one of our charity’s smaller projects that delivered a significant difference to the people involved.
Smithybrook View, a housing with care scheme for residents aged over 55 with assessed care or support needs, recently approached our charity after learning about their grants. The residents often faced challenges in hearing announcements during meetings, meaning crucial information from speakers such as the fire service and police was frequently missed. This left many tenants, particularly hearing aid users, feeling excluded and disconnected from important updates.
In response, Newground Together provided a grant to install a new sound system compatible with hearing aids. This upgrade ensures that all residents can hear and stay informed during meetings and events, significantly reducing feelings of isolation, promoting inclusivity, and enabling everyone to fully participate.
The impact of the new system goes beyond the residents of Smithybrook View. It also benefits their family members, friends, and the wider community, who often attend events at the scheme, ensuring everyone can enjoy clearer communication and an enhanced experience.
Jeffrey Waples, Smithybrook Social Club Committee Chair, said:
“The Newground Together grant was a huge help. As a person who wears hearing aids to hear well, the new speaker system was a great idea. Now when we have tenant meetings, speakers, or singers here, I can hear better without any nasty feedback noises.”
Claire Fisher, Scheme Manager at Smithybrook View, said:
“This has made a huge difference to our community of tenants and visitors for meetings, visits from speakers, local schools singing, and entertainment acts.”