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**Registered Charity No.1063430 Registered Company No. 3376847**
# vis aame Hearing Advisory Service **Annual Report and Accounts 2024/2025**
Docusign Envelope ID: 7C1E5D97-5690-47E4-BF79-EA555E4AA198
**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## **Table of Contents**
|**1**|**Welcome from the Chairman ................................................................................... 4**|
|---|---|
|**2**|**Operational Activities and Achievements .............................................................. 6**|
||Reducing health inequalities -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6|
||Connected Lives ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6|
||Working in partnership --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6|
||Hertfordshire Sensory Strategy ................................................................................................................. 7|
||Social Prescribing and the role of Link Workers ------------------------------------------------- 8|
||Training and Development Centre for professionals ------------------------------------------- 9|
||_‘Hearing AiderTM’ Training_......................................................................................................................... 9|
||Our care provider partners ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9|
||The Training Centre ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9|
||Volunteer Support Service – Our ‘Hearing Aiders’ --------------------------------------------- 11|
||Hearing Advisory Services – Our ‘Hearing Advisors’ ----------------------------------------- 12|
||HAS Postal Service ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12|
||Supporting NHS Audiology Services -------------------------------------------------------------- 13|
||Making Assistive Technology accessible --------------------------------------------------------- 13|
||Technical Support Service – Our Equipment Specialists ------------------------------------ 14|
||Hearing Advisory Services in the East of England --------------------------------------------- 15|
||Bedfordshire Hearing Advisory Service ----------------------------------------------------------- 15|
||West Northamptonshire Hearing Advisory Service -------------------------------------------- 15|
||Gibraltar Hearing Impairment and Tinnitus Association, GHITA --------------------------- 15|
||Reducing Loneliness and Social Isolation ------------------------------------------------------- 16|
||Social Clubs, Self Help Groups --------------------------------------------------------------------- 16|
||@accessherts - Introducing Deaf Services ------------------------------------------------------ 17|
||Deaf Clubs – at the heart of the community ----------------------------------------------------- 17|
||Deaf Patient Participation Groups ------------------------------------------------------------------ 17|
||Community Sensory Link Worker ------------------------------------------------------------------ 17|
||Deaf Health Forum ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18|
||Increasing awareness of Hearing Advisory Services ----------------------------------------- 19|
||Measuring Achievement ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 20|
|**3**|**Our Structure and governance .............................................................................. 21**|
||Our Vision ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 22|
||Our Core Values ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22|
||Our Mission ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22|
||Our Aim --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22|
||Our Strategic Intent ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 22|
||Our Strategies ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22|
||Our Objectives ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22|
||Our CSR policy ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 23|
||Our ESG Policy ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 23|
||The Trustees --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 24|
||The Board, Committees and Working Groups -------------------------------------------------- 25|
||Honorary Patron, Advisors and Officers ---------------------------------------------------------- 26|
||Our Benefactors and Supporters ------------------------------------------------------------------- 27|
||Our Charitable and Corporate Benefactors ------------------------------------------------------ 27|
||Our Colleagues in the Public Sector --------------------------------------------------------------- 27|
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
**----- Start of picture text -----**
|||
|---|---|
|Our Colleagues in NHS Audiology Departments ----------------------------------------------- 27|
|Our Colleagues in the Charity Sector ------------------------------------------------------------- 28|
|Our organisations and groups----------------------------------------------------------------------- 28|
|Our Hearing Advisory Service Team -------------------------------------------------------------- 29|
|4|Financial Reports .................................................................................................... 30|
|Hon Treasurer’s Report ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 30|
|Independent Examiner’s Report -------------------------------------------------------------------- 33|
|5|Financial Accounts ................................................................................................. 34|
|Statement of Financial Activities ------------------------------------------------------------------- 34|
|Balance Sheet ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 35|
|Responsibilities of the Directors -------------------------------------------------------------------- 35|
|Movement in Resources ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 36|
|Notes and policies to the accounts ---------------------------------------------------------------- 37|
**----- End of picture text -----**
## _**Thank you to our Local Authority and NHS Commissioners**_
**Audiology Services**
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## **1 Welcome from the Chairman**
## **Dear Friends and Supporters**
Welcome to our annual report for the 2024/25 financial year. The Charity has continued to actively support our beneficiaries, who are hard of hearing and may use hearing aids and lip-reading as their aid to communication, or profoundly Deaf and who use British Sign Language to aid their communication.
In an ever-changing post-pandemic and political world affecting our operating environment, we strive to use our publicly funded resources to deliver first-class services.
## **Services**
Our services have always provided ‘care closer to home’, whether that is through our community-based hearing aid services, our ‘Supporting Deaf Households’ work, or our partnership with Hertfordshire Community Navigators Service, HCNS, to support social prescriber Link Workers.
During the year, some of long-standing colleagues retired. In West Hertfordshire, we said goodbye to Audiology Manager, Elaine Bond, who has supported the Charity constantly on our Service Committee and with practical help and advice for over 30 years. We also said goodbye to Tim Anfilogoff, who has helped shape adult health and social care in Hertfordshire, and supported the development of our wider service provision.
As we look ahead, we are aware of the NHS plans to develop ‘Integrated Neighbourhood Teams’, and how our knowledge and experience may be important as the definition of ‘primary care’ is widened.
## **Financial**
The Charity continues to operate in challenging conditions. Over the years, in some cases decades, funding has struggled to keep pace with inflation. There have been additional costs in more recent times, including auto-enrolled pensions, employers national insurance and the cost of living.
An organisation of our size is more useful to clients and stable financially, with diversified services and income streams. During the year being reported, the management and staff have worked to maintain service levels through informed changes and reshaping service delivery. However, this is not always possible when change is imposed on the sector, in which case, sadly, redundancies follow.
Our Finance Manager is an important member of our team, and so the retirement of Monica Ansbro after 12 years of supporting the financial requirements a growing organisation was an impressive achievement. Ahead of her leaving, she successfully introduced Sally Oliver. Our long-standing Hon. Treasurer, Claire Oliver, (no relation to Sally), continues to provide continuity.
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## **Governance**
In 2024, Sir Mike Penning MP, kindly informed us that he would be retiring as our patron, after many years in that role. Interested in work, our support of colleagues in Gibraltar, and most recently, leading his party in cross party support with Rosie Cooper MP to the successful introduction of the BSL Act 2022, we thank Sir Mike for his involvement.
At the end of the financial year, another long-standing trustee, John Stoker, retired as Chairman after more than a decade. A chartered engineer by profession, and trained ‘Hearing Aider’ volunteer, John became a well-respected member of our team and Board. We thank John and wish both he and Susan finally, a well-earned retirement.
## **Thankyou**
Our work is to support people who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, and have better, enjoyable and productive lives. We could not do this without the dedication and effort from everyone involved in the Charity, past and present, and their commitment to our vision, ‘Smiles from ear to ear’.
## Jim Bole
_James Bole Chairman_
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## **2 Operational Activities and Achievements**
## _**Reducing health inequalities**_
Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service is committed to reducing health inequalities for people who are profoundly Deaf and use British Sign Language, BSL, as their main aid to communication.
The ‘Sick of it’ report by our colleagues at SignHealth and Royal National Institute for Deaf people, RNID, highlighted that Deaf people in particular faced barriers accessing NHS services, and healthcare staff having difficulties communicating with them. Deaf people reported feeling excluded, marginalised and disenfranchised by the healthcare system, finding barriers at every step preventing them taking control of their health.
Hertfordshire County Council, HCC, produced findings through public engagement that mirrored much of the national research. Supported by additional funding from HCC, the Charity has worked to develop practical solutions, reported later under 'Deaf Services'.
## _**Connected Lives**_
Connected Lives is the HCC commissioning model, which positively encourages colleagues to emerge from their silos, and address challenges together. By considering the Hertfordshire Sensory Strategy, NHS Commissioning Guidance, national study recommendations together with our own knowledge and experience of services, together we can make a difference for profoundly Deaf or hard of hearing people.
We are enthusiastic to consider and willing to try through the work of our staff, volunteers and colleagues of partner organisations.
## _**Working in partnership**_
Increasingly, the Charity works with a range of statutory partners including local authorities and NHS primary and secondary care organisations. With over 40 years of experience of service delivery, we continue to be excited about developing new services in other areas where there is no existing service provision.
During the year, we continued to work with _SignSmart BSL[TM]_ , a sole trader also based at Weltech Business Centre, in line with our Memorandum of Understanding that set out mutual areas of cooperation and benefit in line with current Charity Commission guidance.
Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service has always been well supported by the Hertfordshire County Council, since the organisation was first created as a collaboration between the Council, NHS Audiology, Hertfordshire League for the Hard of Hearing and the County’s several Deaf Clubs, and originally named 'Hertfordshire Deafness Support Association', HeDSA.
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## **Hertfordshire Sensory Strategy**
The Hertfordshire Sensory Strategy continues to be a powerful aid in drawing colleagues together across different departments and organisations, providing the opportunity for effective joint working, unifying ideas, resources and establishing commitment to deliver better health and social care outcomes for shared client groups.
We are committed to working with Hertfordshire County Council, the NHS and partners from Voluntary, Charity, Social, Faith and Enterprise sector, VCSFE, by working through five Workstreams. HHAS is engaged into two of the Workstreams, through Task and Finish Groups identified as 'My Health', and 'My Home, My Community'.
The County Strategy Priorities are set out in the table below and include our current Service Responses, updated from the previous year.
|**Sensory Strategy Service Priorities**
**HAS Service Responses**|**Sensory Strategy Service Priorities**
**HAS Service Responses**|
|---|---|
|**‘My Health’ Workstream**||
|Providing clear and accessible information
@accessherts-Deaf Patient Participation Group||
|@accessherts-SignVideo VRi pilot||
|Improving collaborative work/integrated pathways
@accessherts-Deaf Health Forum||
|**‘My Home, My Community’**||
|Improving emotional/peer support
@accessherts-Deaf Befriending||
|@accessherts-Deaf Group Support||
|@accessherts–Supporting Deaf Households||
|Making Assistive Technology accessible
HAS Hearing Aid Support Service
HAS Assistive Equipment Support Service||
|Improving wider sensory awareness of colleagues
HAS Training Centre–courses programme||
|@accessherts-The Studio||
||@accessherts-FaceBook page|
With limited resources, but an aspiration to address the issues needed to reduce the health inequalities of Deaf people, our Deaf Team, (also known as @accessherts), can be usefully explained in the diagram below:
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## **Working in partnership with primary care**
Primary care relates to community-based health services, such as dentistry, optometry, podiatry, and is most usually associated with GP practices based in surgeries.
Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service hosted two GP Link Workers, providing support to patients at Bennetts End Surgery and Everest House Surgery in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. The two surgeries had formed Danais Primary Care Network, PCN, but this was dissolved in July 2023, and the two surgeries then each joined Delta PCN and Beta PCN respectively.
## **Video Remote Interpreting – SignVideo pilot**
At the start of the financial year, the CEO successfully applied for a funding from the National Institute for Health Research, NIHR, and Applied Research Collaboration, ARC. This supported an Implementation Fellowship to pilot Video Remote Interpreting using the SignVideo application on tablet devices in surgeries.
The pilot was supported by the Clinical Directors of Delta and Beta PCNs, and Hemel Hempstead Morning Deaf Club. With additional advice from Parity Medical, we delivered proof of concept, with devices set up and working at the two surgeries.
Our research presented more areas for research, which we will be looking at during the next financial year.
## _**Social Prescribing and the role of Link Workers**_
The Sensory Strategy work aligns to the Connect and Prevent principles within Connected Lives. One important part of the closer working relationships in recent years has been the development of the Hertfordshire Community Navigator Service, HCNS, a partnership to practically support Social Prescribing through its several partner host organisations.
In simple terms, many people make appointments to see their GP with medical conditions or issues that cannot be cured with a doctor's prescription. Examples of this could include housing conditions, loneliness, lack of confidence, money worries, or not feeling a sense of belonging to the community.
In such a situation, a GP can complete a Social Prescription, which is passed to a trained Link Worker. They in turn will meet with the patient and put together a package of support that will improve their health and well-being.
In Hertfordshire, the HCNS model of charity-hosted staff had worked reasonably well with benefits for patients, surgeries and hosts – who had a wealth of local community networks. The funding was available through the Additional Roles and Responsibilities Reimbursement Scheme, ARRS.
In summer 2024 following government changes, the eligible posts under ARRS was widened to include doctors and pharmacists. This, and other contractual matters, led to several posts being made redundant at the Charity. Page 8
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## _**Training and Development Centre for professionals**_
Our ‘virtual’ Training Centre is a means to capture the several providers of training, the range of subjects and course types on offer, and the target audiences for the training. The common factor is that the training directly or indirectly supports people who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or have a sensory loss.
The Charity is well placed to create and deliver in-house training, to meet the needs we have identified that improve the lives of our clients, and the people who care for them. At the same time, we can publicise and promote other training providers, whose courses add to the range of subjects, or to the overall capacity of training courses available.
## _**‘Hearing Aider[TM] ’ Training**_
Most of us take our hearing for granted, but it is so important for our communication, confidence, independence and quality of life. In a care home setting, the number of residents having a hearing loss can be disproportionally high, presenting a challenge to raise the awareness of residential and care home managers for the need of better on-going support for both hearing aids and assistive technology.
‘Hearing Aider[TM] ’ Training is an intensive one-day course on hearing aid maintenance and deaf awareness we have developed for busy front-line care home staff. This is ideal in areas where demand for support cannot be met by volunteers, or as in-house training across multisite care home groups.
## _**Our care training provider partners**_
Our courses are part of the training programmes of our training provider partners. Hertfordshire Care Providers Association, HCPA, support many of the care home providers, across the county from the smallest to the largest. Their wide range of training courses help maintain the quality of care home provision across the county.
Hertfordshire County Council, HCC are committed to provide courses to their staff through their Workforce Development Programme.
## **Course development**
We are always looking forward to extending our training course offer to Third Sector and Public Sector providers, as they support our objective of reducing health inequalities.
We continued to provide our ‘Introduction to Deafness and British Sign Language’ and ‘Introduction to Living well with hearing loss’ to the HCPA and HCC training schedules.
Our thanks go to HCPA and HCC Workforce Development Teams, and our training team, Emma Caswell, Garnet Newman, Frances Dewhurst and Jenny Begg. _**The Training Centre**_
## **Front-line staff training**
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
For many client-facing staff, there is already an appreciation for Continuing Professional Development. Our smaller courses raise awareness and can help make health information more accessible, remove barriers to communication. These include:
- Deaf Awareness Training
- Sensory Awareness Training
- Introduction to British Sign Language
- Introduction to Video Remote Interpreting (SignVideo
- Introduction to Assistive Technology (Equipment)
- Introduction to NHS hearing aids (Hearing Aider[TM] training)
These courses are provided free of charge and are usually delivered via zoom. Alternatively, they can also be provided at our training rooms in Welwyn Garden City or Ipswich, or in-house by arrangement, (expenses may be charged). Please contact us for further details.
## **Lip Reading Classes**
Lip reading is a widely recognised and vital skill that can be taught to aid communication for people with acquired hearing loss. It can be great fun to learn, and many friendships start as the result of classes. Students learn to observe lip patterns, movements of the tongue, jaw and facial expressions. Developing skills that gradually put them all together enable lip readers to interpret what is being said, as an aid to communication.
Courses are available to people of all ages: our tutors and students set individual learning plans and regularly review progress so that by the end of the course it is clear to see how much has been achieved.
Learning to lip read requires dedication and commitment. Our different classes run in 10week terms, with modest fees that we benchmarked against other similar regional providers.
Our courses are provided on-line via Zoom, so students can study in the comfort of their own home. If you are interested in Lip reading classes please contact Maria Waller on 01472-286060, text 07467 122766, email suffolkinfo@hhas.org.uk, or complete the on-line form on our website.
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## _**Volunteer Support Service – Our ‘Hearing Aiders’**_
Our friendly, trained volunteers, ‘Hearing Aiders’ have, since the formation of the Charity, provided our longest running service. We are keen to hear from people with a few hours to spare each month, in a variety of interesting roles.
## **Visiting Care Homes**
Looking after residents in sheltered accommodation, residential and nursing homes, a monthly visit for a couple of hours are enjoyable make a huge difference. It is amazing how a little support and encouragement can get the most benefit out of a hearing aid, increasing someone's confidence, sense of belonging and bringing a smile to their face.
## **Helping with the Postal Service**
Our Postal Service remains a steady and popular alternative to many people, post pandemic. We are currently recruiting for volunteers to help with our Postal Service requests. Based within our offices at Welwyn Garden City and Ipswich, our volunteers really make a difference.
## _**Appreciated, Valued – Volunteering is Fun…!**_
Volunteering is fun, and can be personally satisfying seeing someone’s face light up with the return of a world of sound. Clients tell us they appreciate care being provided closer to home, and without the journey to the hospital.
Many volunteers who join the Charity stay for years, and find that the two or three hours a month they give, working in their own local community, and often say their visits fit in well with their other commitments.
We would be delighted to hear from you, if you have some time to spare.
## _**Thanking, Rewarding, Celebrating**_
Every year in Hertfordshire, the Charity looks forward to hosting and event to celebrate the achievements of our fantastic Volunteers. During the summer, we were unable to arrange a Volunteers Afternoon, but we hope to get together again in 2025.
We thank our dedicated ‘Hearing Aider’ volunteers in Hertfordshire, Suffolk and Bedfordshire, for their time and support.
The total number of ‘Hearing Aider[TM] ’ volunteers in all areas supported by the Charity in 2024/25 was Herts/Beds = 24; Suffolk = 12. (2023/24: 45)
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## _**Hearing Advisory Services – Our ‘Hearing Advisors’**_
Our main Hearing Advisory Services are the staff led side of our activities and operates scheduled services across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Suffolk. These can be really helpful for people who wear a hearing aid and mobility, dexterity or transport problems, living independently in their own homes, rather than sheltered housing or residential homes.
Our services are managed our Service Managers, Maria Waller (Suffolk), Charlotte Spurway (Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire). Our on-line appointment system continues to help with our service operations and reporting. Clients have particularly appreciated the personal interaction when calling the team for advice or to book into a clinic.
The overall number of HAS Consultations in 2024/25 was:
Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire: Hearing Aids 4,958 (2023/24: 3,902) Suffolk: Hearing Aids 3,750 (2023/24: 4,777)
## _**HAS Postal Service**_
Our Postal Service, introduce during the pandemic and using pre-printed strong 'Send' and 'Return' envelopes, has become part of our regular service offer. 'Send' envelopes give simple to follow instructions, and the 'Return' envelopes publicise some of the services and volunteering opportunities available from the Charity.
The number of HAS Postal requests is now reported in the total consultations.
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## _**Supporting NHS Audiology Services**_
The Charity delivers non-statutory services across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, and Suffolk. We work in partnership with the Heads of Audiology, and co-operate with our Sensory, Deaf, or Hard of Hearing Charity colleagues, to serve our shared client group.
Last year we noted the ‘Fuller Stocktake – Next steps for integrating primary care’, NHSE 2022, noted primary care included Audiology, and restated in the ‘2023/24 priorities and operational planning and guidance’ NHSE 2022, moving to self-referral for many community services, and expand direct access where GP intervention is not clinically necessary, including hearing aid provision. This was confirmed with the publication of ‘Fit for the future – 10 year health plan for England’, DHSC 2025, where using the My Specialist tool on the NHS app envisages self referrals to audiology.
The Charity works within local authority boundaries that are not necessarily co-terminus with health service catchment areas. The ‘10 year health plan for England’ addresses changes to Local Authority and NHS commissioning of services. We will continue to monitor these changes and how we can work together to improve services.
## _**Making Assistive Technology accessible – Maintaining NHS hearing aids**_
Our core service provision has developed to support people and increase the confidence they have in using their own hearing aid. Maintaining aids, and offering support increases personal confidence and reduces the devastating social isolation that hearing loss can cause.
Our community-based services are complimentary to statutory provision, we continue the important process of rehabilitation after hearing loss, started by our NHS Audiology colleagues when dispensing hearing aids.
The services we offer include:
- Advice and information
- Battery exchange and replacement
- Cleaning and re-tubing of NHS hearing aids
- Demonstration of hearing aid functions
- Equipment demonstration or signposting to suppliers
- Hearing Loop installation and information
With an increasingly older population, and demand increasing for services, the move away from ‘drop-in’ clinics to ‘appointment only’, means that every client gets a set amount of time and the quality of service is maintained. Post pandemic, many of our sites now prefer a steady footfall rather than large numbers of people waiting before and during clinics, and turning up at the end of a session, thereby delaying the next session. The appointment system is both healthier and safer to provide.
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## _**Technical Support Service – Our Equipment Specialists**_
Communication is vital to maintaining relationships, being understood, achieving success at work, maintaining our individual well-being and ability to reach our full potential. Without it, we become misunderstood, isolated, anxious and frustrated.
For many people, their listening experience and their lives can be transformed by a simple piece of technology, the Hearing Loop. It allows people who use hearing aids or cochlear implants to listen more easily, cutting out unwanted background noise, and creating a clearer sound. It enables them to participate in everyday activities with dignity and without stress.
Our Technical Support Service can offer advice and information on assistive equipment that supports daily living. The move to smaller premises, the retirement of our Technical Volunteers during the pandemic, and the expense of maintaining an adequate level of hearing loops, personal amplifiers, alerting devices, mobile and landline telephony, have together combined to end our demonstration capabilities.
## _**Hearing Loop Information Service**_
Our ‘Hearing Loop Information Service’ provides loop installation advice for village halls, places of worship and community centres, and continued to provide a valuable specialist service to organizations, concerned with providing support for visitors, residents, and parishioners. We continue our efforts to publicise the benefits of hearing induction loop systems which can result in clearer hearing for hearing aid users.
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## _**Hearing Advisory Services in the East of England**_
The Charity continues to work with Audiology Department Heads across the East of England, and to seek additional resources from charitable trusts and others. Our intention is to continue piloting new services where invited by Audiology Departments and Local Authorities during 2025/26, to provide the evidence of need required by the Commissioners, and to support and cooperate with our neighbouring counterpart charities.
## _**Bedfordshire Hearing Advisory Service**_
The Bedfordshire Hearing Advisory Service extends our ‘Hearing Support Service’ provides consultation appointments in partnership with health centres, community venues and also some residential homes on an ad hoc basis. We work with Bedford Audiology Department to provide longer Bedford clinics, off the hospital estate, but with easy access to patients.
This service was made possible because of the support given by our colleagues at the Audiology Department of Bedford Hospital, and Bedfordshire Sensory Services.
## _**West Northamptonshire Hearing Advisory Service**_
The West Northamptonshire Hearing Advisory Service pilot, supported people with NHS hearing aids dispensed by Northampton Audiology, Horton Audiology, and Central Milton Keynes Audiology is currently on-hold.
We were previously funded by the predecessor of West Northamptonshire Council, having gained the support and encouragement from the parish and town councils. We intend to apply for funding this small but valued service, when funding opportunities allow.
## **Norfolk Deaf Association, Cambridge Hearing Help** and **Hearing Help Essex**
We keep in touch with our friends in the East of England, at Norfolk Deaf Association, Cambridge Deaf Association, (who merged with Hearing Help Cambridge), and Hearing Help Essex. We continue to jointly promote our client services along county boundaries and continue to cooperate on matters of mutual interest and support.
## **Suffolk Hearing Advisory Service**
The Suffolk Hearing Advisory Service is staff led, and operates scheduled services across the county. It can be a real help for people who wear a hearing aid and have mobility or dexterity problems, and difficulty with transport. The service results are reported in more detail elsewhere in the annual report.
## _**Gibraltar Hearing Impairment and Tinnitus Association, GHITA**_
Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory, with a population of over 34,000 people, and served by regular flights between the City and until recently, nearby London Luton Airport on the UK mainland. Our staff team have informally adopted Gibraltar and GHITA as part of our social responsibility, and we continued to offer practical support and advice during the year.
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## _**Reducing Loneliness and Social Isolation**_
## _**Social Clubs, Self Help Groups**_
Everybody wants to live a happy and enjoyable life, reducing the effects of hearing loss and feeling positive. The Charity may provide or support social clubs for clients and their carers, something that will be explored as ‘production’ with our team, ‘co-production’ or ‘publicity’ with others.
## **Hand in Hand Social Clubs**
Commissioned by Suffolk Council, we are able to provide a small number of Hand-In-Hand Clubs - social clubs for people with dual sensory loss, (hearing and sight loss). These clubs run every month and are subject to a small subscription. Our clubs encourage people to build relationships and enjoy learning new skills. There is a programme of various activities and social outings helping to develop confidence to allow individuals to have as much control over their lives as possible.
The programme of activities includes support that will help to promote positive health, social inclusion and strategies for living. The clubs are managed by qualified and trained staff supported by a team of trained volunteers.
## **Hard of Hearing Social Clubs, Self Help Groups**
Over the last seventy years, society has changed. How we use our discretionary personal time has seen an increase in television, increasingly powerful technology, dominating our lifestyles. A general decline in clubs and societies, and more specifically hard of hearing clubs and groups. Hearing aids have become both smaller in size, bigger in power, more discreet, empowering and confidence giving.
Altogether, a move away from ‘hard of hearing clubs’ and a decline in lip-reading class funding, and a general reluctance of surrendering personal time through a regular commitment to running clubs and groups in an increasingly busier world, calls for different models and approaches to be considered.
Hard of Hearing Clubs deliver as self-help groups: They increase personal confidence, a safe space to support and be supported, and a way to reduce social isolation. We will continue to consider different models and approaches over the coming year.
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## _**@accessherts - Introducing Deaf Services**_
@accessherts is the branding of our Deaf Services, and is also our new, accessible FaceBook Channel with BSL content. We will be setting up an accessherts YouTube channel, that will allow providers to publicise their services through MP4 BSL video.
The Charity welcomes the investment by Hertfordshire County Council and NHS partners, as we work towards reducing health inequalities and increasing access to information, by developing Deaf Services for people who rely on BSL as their main aid to communication in line with the sensory strategy.
## _**Deaf Clubs – at the heart of the community**_
Deaf Clubs are at the heart of the Deaf Community. During the year, we have maintained links with Ipswich Deaf Club, Welwyn Hatfield Deaf Club, Watford Deaf Club, Hertford Deaf Club and Hemel Hempstead Morning Deaf Club. In Hertfordshire, we were able to support the Deaf Clubs through our ‘Supporting Deaf Households’ programme, helping them to provide a warm and welcoming space to meet during the autumn/winter and through the cost of living crisis.
## _**Deaf Patient Participation Groups**_
Local Authority and NHS commissioners rarely collaborate when it comes to Deaf Services. Consequently, in the past, each Clinical Commissioning Group, CCG, has a small Deaf population. Addressing the needs of Deaf people are not always taken into account because the numbers involved are so small compared to the whole population.
Last year, the Charity, working with partners at primary care level, were able to hold one Deaf Patient Participation Group, D/PPG. This was associated with an existing PPG, and was helped to highlight some of the issues to be considered in the ARC Fellowship 2024, and further research into Deaf patients in primary care in 2025/26.
## _**Community Sensory Link Worker**_
The Charity hosts our Community Sensory Link Worker, who is mostly based within HertsHelp. The work supports patients with sensory loss so that they can be discharged to home or respite care. We are working with HertsHelp to make access easier from their website for potential Deaf clients.
The role also includes working with our Deaf Services Team, to support improving the ongoing development of our Deaf Services, and the Hertfordshire Deaf Health Forum.
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## _**Deaf Health Forum**_
The Deaf Services team worked with Officers from the local Hertfordshire Deaf Clubs throughout the year, to develop the Deaf-led, Deaf Health Forum. We are enthusiastic and motivated to deliver this important work to reduce health and social inequalities for Deaf people in Hertfordshire and beyond.
## **Proposed Aim**
The Aim of the Deaf Health Forum is to reduce the health and social care inequalities that create issues of concern to the Deaf Community.
## **Forum Objectives**
The objectives of the Deaf Health Forum are to provide a positive framework for analysing old problems and proposing new ways forward. In other words:
- Change problems into solutions
- Change negatives into positives
- Change barriers into bridges
The Deaf Health Forum addresses two main groups.
- The Deaf Community[i]
- Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Service, HWE ICS
## **The Deaf Community**
The Forum is supported by the @accessherts team, and works with Hertfordshire’s two main Deaf Clubs, and NHS hospital trusts:
- Watford Deaf Club/West Herts Hospital Trust (WHHT)
- Welwyn Garden City Deaf Club/East & North Herts Hospital Trust (E&NHHT)
## **Membership**
The Forum is a community-based group with Officers from the Clubs and @accessherts working closely together, and always Deaf-led by someone who uses BSL as their main aid to communication, with the HAS CEO in attendance to advise on developing connections to the appropriate colleagues within the HWE ICS structure or existing network structures.
We thank the Members and Officers of four, Hertfordshire Deaf Clubs, colleagues from Healthwatch Hertfordshire, HwH, and HWE ICS.
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## _**Increasing awareness of Hearing Advisory Services**_
The Charity continues to raise awareness of our services, by modestly investing and improving our channels of communication. Awareness of the Charity was gauged as part of our Measuring Outcomes work, reported elsewhere. Being online is a great and inexpensive way to engage supporters and volunteers, and is an important way to reach service users. More people spend time online, so we need to be ready to meet them there.
## _**Hearing Helpline**_
Our aspiration is to ensure that the telephones are manned during office hours Tuesday – Thursday, with an answerphone at all other times.
## _**News and Views e-newsletter**_
‘News and Views’ is the Charity’s periodic electronic newsletter distributed free to our volunteers.
## _**HAS Website**_
The HAS website continues to be updated reflecting the changing services and activities of the Charity, including new ways of working, such as on-line appointment booking and signposting to our BSL video shorts on YouTube.
## _**Deaf Befriending, Deaf Services and SignVideo[TM]**_
SignVideo is the UK market leader in Video Remote Interpreting, VRi, and Video Relay Services, VRs. We continue to highlight the benefits of SignVideo, by arranging demonstrations of the platforms to colleagues in Local Authorities and NHS organisations.
As part of our Deaf Services, the SignVideo app on tablet devices will help us deliver our Deaf Services.
## _**Our Social Media - FaceBook**_
Social media is now a part of many charities’ communications channels. The challenge for many is to find a balance between providing an interesting news stream, and the cost of using existing staff to maintain coverage. We continue to find cost effective ways to maintain a relevant news stream, despite having to stop end our paid FaceBook Editor.
The FaceBook pages are:
- @hearingadvisoryservice1984
- @accessherts
We are trying to get as many Likes as possible, so please send these links to any friends and colleagues to get them to Like the our Facebook pages!
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## _**Measuring Achievement**_
For the voluntary sector in Britain, the ‘Social Return on Investment’, SROI, approach is steadily increasing to demonstrate to funding organisations a more rigorous approach to performance management, while attempting to capture the social impacts of public spending. The aim of the SROI approach is to maximise the value of social outcomes produced by a given level of expenditure.
However, outcomes need to be organised in a clear hierarchy, so that they are capable of driving a set of operational plans. The Government’s plans focus on creating the right conditions to secure desired outcomes, but do not clearly articulate the outcomes: Charities are expected to articulate the outcomes themselves.
The Charity’s Commissioning Managers require us to state how we have measure and monitored outcomes we have agreed to.
## **Outcome Measurement**
Outcome Measurement, with respect to post-hearing aid instrument fitting in a social care context, (as opposed to a clinical or health care context), was introduced to the Charity’s reporting, having developed a ‘Rapid Participatory Appraisal’, RPA, method. The questions asked, appeared to indicate whether outcomes have been achieved.
The Charity has moved from not only measuring what we do, (outputs), to being clear about what it is trying to achieve, (outcomes). This is consistent with the Charity Commission requirements to report on how our charitable purpose relates to our operational services and our financial activity.
## _**Annual survey**_
Our annual survey of clients across our services was well designed and conducted. However, increasing costs associated with operations generally and Royal Mail services in particular, against finite budgets, led to a decision to stop surveying in a paper format.
The Charity is becoming increasingly knowledgeable about hand held tablet devices, and we are developing appropriate applications using a modified RPS surveys, to collect and report client responses.
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Docusign Envelope ID: 7C1E5D97-5690-47E4-BF79-EA555E4AA198
**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## **3 Our Structure and governance**
**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service, HHAS,** helps people affected by hearing loss and associated conditions in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, and is a charitable company, limited by guarantee. Originally established in 1982 as Hertfordshire Deafness Support Association, HeDSA, HHAS was incorporated in May 1997.
In November 2016, the Trustees passed a Special Resolution, changing the Objectives and Governing Document, to better reflect current best practice published by the Charity Commission and the Charity’s own operating requirements.
**Charity Registration No.** 1063430 **Company Registration No.** 3376847 **Company Secretary** Mr Philip Linnegar*
## **Our Performance and Results**
This Board of Trustees Annual Report 2023/24 connects the HHAS governing document and the Statement of Financial Activity. This is achieved by reporting the aim of the charity, our strategies, and how successfully our principal activities have been achieved using different strategies. Our main service activity is summarized elsewhere in this report.
## **Our Chairs**
The Charity was originally registered as Hertfordshire Deafness Support Association, HeDSA, in the early 1980s. The Charity then became a charitable Company Limited by Guarantee in 1997. Over the last 40 years, we have had been supported by our several chairs:
Christopher Shaw Barbara Williams Bert Chiswell John Croft Veronica Broadie John Stoker
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## _**Our Vision**_
Smiles from ear to ear.
## _**Our Core Values**_
- _We like people with hearing loss and want to achieve the best life outcomes for them_
- _We like to support our Staff & Volunteers who work with passion, emotion, empathy_
- _We like to provide an oasis of calm_
- _We like people to feel that they are the centre of our attention_
- _We like people to feel their talents are useful_
- _We like people to feel they can stick with us_
## _**Our Mission**_
Hearing Advisory Service works to improve the health and well-being for people affected by hearing loss or Deafness.
## _**Our Aim**_
**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** is established to relieve those people suffering from hearing impairment, Deafness, sight impairment, blindness, deafblindness (dual sensory loss), and associated conditions as well as their carers.
## _**Our Strategic Intent**_
The strategic intent of Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service is to sustain and extend as a charity that serves people, (clients) who are Hard of Hearing or Deaf, in Hertfordshire, Suffolk, Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire, in order to mitigate the effects of their Deafness or hearing loss.
## _**Our Strategies**_
During the second pandemic year, the Board considered how the Charity would be meet its strategic intent, by adapting our five charitable strategies:
- To maintain the volunteer base and service provision
- To provide postal and other services, and seek resources to sustain operations
- To increase awareness of HAS and gain publicity about its work
- To maintain close links with existing partner organisations
- To set and meet high standards of performance for trustees, staff and operations
- To maintain a process of performance goals and reviews with all HAS personnel
## _**Our Objectives**_
In furtherance of the Charity’s aim, the objectives were met by providing high quality local services set out in this annual report.
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## _**Our CSR policy**_
As a successful Investor In People organisation, the Charity adopted a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to attract some of the positive benefits possible for our people and clients. We support Gibraltar Hearing Impairment and Tinnitus Association, GHITA, to provide Hearing Aider[ TM] training, expertise and assistive equipment. We maintain contact with the GHITA Committee through their chairman, Edgar Triay GA.
## _**Our ESG Policy**_
The Charity reviews the Environmental, Social and Governance Agenda (ESG) to see whether further benefits are possible for the organisation.
## **Environmental View**
The Charity’s main offices in Welwyn Garden City and Ipswich are now based in serviced office accommodation which is energy efficient, and have arrangements for recycling.
## **Widening Society**
The Charity are looking forward to forming new connections with the communities we serve.
The Charity continued to be supported by specialist providers and consultants, in keeping with our aspiration to use local businesses, and pay invoices within 30 days.
## **Governance**
The next 12 months will see a change in chair of the Board, and our new Trustees being supported in their roles. We continue to seek Trustees who have management experience, and ideally personal experience of hearing loss.
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Docusign Envelope ID: 7C1E5D97-5690-47E4-BF79-EA555E4AA198
**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## _**The Trustees**_
The Members of the Board are the directors for the purposes of the Companies Act and the charity trustees for the purposes of the Charities Act. The Trustee Board members determine the general policy and ensure the governance of the Company.
During 2024/25, our long-standing Chairman, John Stoker*, retired. We pay tribute to his dedication and service to the Charity.
**Claire Oliver** is Head of Audit and Risk for Constellation Retail. With over 15 years of experience in the delivery assurance services, Claire now leads on internal audit, risk management, investigations and business continuity planning. Claire has been Hon. Treasurer of the Charity since 2016.
**Dennis Furnell*** is a naturalist and broadcaster, who has been involved with national and international conservation projects. He has worked on BBC and Independent Radio, and BBC Television, Channel 4, Anglia TV and The Discovery Channel. He was also instrumental in helping to set up the Visual Language Media Group, a television training facility for people with hearing impairment.
**James Bole** is an experienced Rehabilitation Officer for people with visual impairment, working in the sensory community in North Lincolnshire. He worked across the country (particularly Hertfordshire) and lectured at Birmingham City University on implantable miniature telescopes and sensory adaptations. He is involved on a Dementia and Sensory loss project, that involves the Parliamentary committee on Dementia, headed by Sir George Howarth. James works in the veterans community, supporting people with complex sight loss.
**John Stoker*** is an HHAS Volunteer, Chair of the Service Committee and Chair of Trustees. He was formerly a Regional Director with a large multi-national consulting firm having enjoyed a long career as a mechanical, electrical and environmental engineer, both in the UK and overseas. John’s leisure activities include motor-caravanning, singing and playing guitar.
**Julie Bayford** is CEO of The Phoenix Group for Deaf Children and Young Adults, a charity for Deaf children, young Deaf adults and their families in Hertfordshire. Having been involved in community work for over 30 years, Julie has gained much experience in deafness and brings a wealth of charity sector knowledge and skills to the HHAS Trustee Board.
**Philip Linnegar** * is CEO of Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service. His former appointments include CEO for Middlesex Association for the Blind, CEO for Hertfordshire Society for the Blind, Interim CEO for the National Association for Patient Participation, NAPP, and Head of Membership & Development at Hearing Concern.
He was previously Secretary of WFC ENABLES, at Watford Football Club, and of Chairman of Hemel Aces Football Club. He is Chairman of Friends Of Bennetts End Surgery, FOBES, their Patient Participation Group, a Trustee of NAPP, and a Trustee of Phoenix Group for Deaf Children. Philip’s other interests include learning British Sign Language, motorsport, and manual pipe organs.
* Indicates deafness or hearing impairment
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Docusign Envelope ID: 7C1E5D97-5690-47E4-BF79-EA555E4AA198
**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## _**The Board, Committees and Working Groups**_
During the 2024/25 financial year, John Stoker chaired the Board and the Annual General Meeting. John is chair of the Service Committee, and Claire Oliver is chair of the Finance and General Purposes Committee.
Each Trustee has taken responsibility for monitoring our activities in specific operational areas. Through their chairman, each Committee or Group present their reports or recommendations for action to the Board.
Trustees are appointed where they have the necessary skills and experience to contribute to the charity’s development. Prospective Trustees are invited to attend HHAS Board meetings at least once, as a non-voting observer. This forms part of the Board co-option process. New Trustees are supported through an induction process, based on the NCVO Best Practice guidance.
We are grateful to all our Trustees and Committee Members for the commitment of time and consideration they have given towards the good governance of the Charity.
|**_Finance and General Purposes Committee_**|**_Finance and General Purposes Committee_**|
|---|---|
|Mark Jarvis|Trustee|
|John Stoker|Trustee|
|Claire Oliver|Committee chair, Hon Treasurer|
|Philip Linnegar*|CEO|
|**_Strategy and Governance Committee_**|**_Strategy and Governance Committee_**|
|---|---|
|John Stoker|Committee chair|
|Vacancy|Trustee|
|Claire Oliver|Trustee, Hon Treasurer|
|Philip Linnegar|CEO|
|**_Service Committee Hertfordshire_**||
|Garnet Newman|Service Co-ordinator|
|Elaine Bond|Audiology Manager, West Herts Hospital NHS Trust|
|John Stoker|HHAS Volunteer and Trustee, (Chair)|
|Jenny Begg|HHAS Volunteer|
|Tom Lyon|Audiologist, Royal Free London Hospital NHS Trust|
|* Indicates deaf or hearing impaired members, volunteers or staff||
|**_Service Oversight Bedfordshire_**||
|---|---|
|Anna Lazenby|Head of Audiology, Bedford Hospital NHS Trust|
|Alison Lowe|Senior Practitioner, Bedford Sensory Services|
|Carol O’Brien|Project Manager, Sight Concern Bedfordshire|
|Garnet Newman|Co-ordinator, Bedfordshire Hearing Advisory Service|
|**_Service Oversight Suffolk_**||
|Caroline Carr|Managing Director, Sensing Change Suffolk|
|Caroline Wells|Suffolk Commissioning|
|Philip Linnegar|Chief Executive Officer|
|Maria Waller|Service Manager, Suffolk|
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## _**Honorary Patron, Advisors and Officers**_
## **Hon President**
The Charity is supported by our Hon President, Sue Walter. Sue is a former Lip Reading Teacher, and is a prolific and long standing 'Hearing Aider' Volunteer.
Our first Hon President was Bert Chiswell.
## **Hon Patron**
Our long-standing patron is The Rt. Hon. Sir Mike Penning MP. During the year, Sir Mike stood down as our patron ahead of the general election. We thank him and his wife, Angie, for their support.
## **Independent Examiner**
In 2025, we changed arrangements for our independent examination in-line with Charity Commission ‘Statement of Recommended Practice’, and formally agreed to the appointment of Janice Matthews FCA, a partner at Menzies LLP Magna House, 18-32 London Road, Staines Upon Thames TW18 4BP as the Charity’s Independent Examiner.
## **Insurers**
Arthur J Gallagher Insurance Limited Devonshire House, Riverside Park, Barnstaple EX31 1EY
## **Bankers**
## CAF Bank plc
25 Kings Hill Ave, Kings Hill, West Malling, ME19 4TA
## **Public benefit**
In setting our objectives and planning our activities, our trustees have considered the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit and in particular to keeping our costs and charges for any services to a minimum.
Secondly, we ensure the benefits we offer are either restricted to those with hearing impairment, affected by hearing impairment, or designed to encourage engagement by deaf people with the wider community. Thirdly, in providing our services and activities, we always show due commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our service users.
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## _**Our Benefactors and Supporters**_
We take this opportunity to record our grateful thanks to all our Benefactors and friends who have provided us with valuable support in many ways during the past year.
## _**Our Charitable and Corporate Benefactors**_
The Cunliffe Family Charitable Trust The Hertfordshire Community Foundation The Suffolk Community Foundation NIHR ARC Fellowship Team
## _**Our Colleagues in the Public Sector**_
Bedford Council, Sensory Services Team Central Bedfordshire, Sensory Services Team Central Milton Keynes Sensory Advice Resource Centre Team Hertfordshire County Council, Sensory Services Team Suffolk County Council, Sensing Change Team NHS Commissioning in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Suffolk and Northamptonshire
## _**Our Colleagues in NHS Audiology Departments**_
**Cambridgeshire** Addenbrookes Hospital **Bedfordshire** Bedford General Hospital; Luton and Dunstable Hospital **Milton Keynes UA** Central Milton Keynes Hospital **Hertfordshire (West)** Hemel Hempstead General Hospital; St Albans City Hospital Watford General Hospital **Hertfordshire (East)** Lister Hospital, Stevenage, QE2 Hospital, Welwyn Garden City Hertford County Hospital **Middlesex** Royal Free London **Suffolk** James Paget Hospital Ipswich General Hospital West Suffolk Hospital
**Gibraltar** Gibraltar Health Centre
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## _**Our Colleagues in the Charity Sector**_
The Charity continued to work and co-operate with other charities and organisations, in pursuit of our strategic and charitable objectives. We work closely with other countywide social care charities, and the county branches of national charities, such as Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, and Phoenix Group for Deaf Children.
The Charity maintains a dialogue with colleagues across the Eastern Region, (Essex Hearing Help, West Norfolk Deaf Association, Cambridge Hearing Help), through the Eastern Area Region Hearing Help Group, and similar organisations elsewhere in England and overseas.
Particular thanks go to: Andrew Palmer CEO, Cambridgeshire Deaf Association Clement Musondo CEO, Herts Vision Loss Bob Jones CEO, Watford and 3 Rivers Trust.
## _**Our Facilities Teams**_
Weltech Business Centre Louise and her team BasePoint Centre Ben and his team
## _**Our organisations and groups**_
**Organisations and Groups** Rotary Club of Sawbridgeworth SignSmart BSL NIHR ARC Fellowship Team Health Innovation East Beta Primary Care Network Delta Primary Care Network Bennetts End Surgery Team Everest House Surgery
And to all our voluntary helpers and all other voluntary societies with whom we have co-operated during the year.
## _**Our Consultants**_
We thank our consultants who assist the Charity in specialist operational support areas:
Emma Williams HR Initiatives, HR Consultants Beth Moore Social Media Editor, BM Services Vacant PR Consultants Jeff Wiblin Equity Services, IT Consultants
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## _**Our Hearing Advisory Service Team**_
The Board of Trustees pay tribute to the staff for their commitment, hard work and dedication. The day to day management of the Company is delegated to the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, who is an ex officio member of all the committees and working groups. The CEO is supported by the Senior Management Team, SMT.
**Chief Executive Officer Philip Linnegar*[~] Finance Manager Monica Ansbro[~] Sally Oliver[~]**
**Service Manager – Herts/Beds Charlotte Spurway *[~]**
Service Coordinator Garnet Newman Hearing Advisor – Postal/HQ Jacqui Compton Hearing Advisor – Hertfordshire Bob Macdonald Hearing Advisor – Bedfordshire Simon Windle eNewsletter/Website Editor Charlotte Spurway Technical Advisor Philip Linnegar Principle LRC Volunteers Jenny, Barbara, Jane and Jackie Bovingdon LRC Volunteers John C, Mike L*, Bob*, Sue B, Jan and Joan*
**Deaf Service Manager Emma Caswell*~** Deaf Outreach Worker Golda Dahan* Deaf Outreach Worker Zoe Overing Community Sensory Link Worker Robert Hobbs
SP GP Link Workers Zahoor Raja, Susie Brown
**Service Manager - Suffolk Maria Waller[~]** Hearing Advisors Maria Waller/Steph Daley Administrators Maria Waller/Steph Daley Lip-reading Teachers Maria Waller/Steph Daley Lip-reading Teacher (North) Lizzie Servant Hand In Hand Club Coordinators Christine Roe/Steph Daley Principle Suffolk Volunteers Hugh and Sue W, Peter F, Rupert P
- Deaf or hearing impaired members of staff or volunteers.
- **~** Senior Management Team
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Docusign Envelope ID: 7C1E5D97-5690-47E4-BF79-EA555E4AA198
**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## **4 Financial Reports**
## _**Hon Treasurer’s Report**_
The Balance Sheet (page 34) shows a cash balance, (cash at bank and in hand), of £12,780 a decrease of £24,602 from the previous year. There is a total deficit of £6,082 this year, (2023/24: £2,454 surplus), which includes depreciation of £5,136 (refer to page 36, Movement in Resources).
The Statement of Financial Activities (page 34), are in accord with Charities SORP (FRS 102), and all gains and losses are recognized.
## _**Risk Management**_
The Trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, in particular those related to the operations and finances of the Charity, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate our exposure to major risks.
## _**Pension Statement**_
Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service provide pension schemes and auto-enrolment schemes managed by Aviva and The People’s Pension. The current scheme is available to all qualifying staff.
## _**Payments**_
The Trustees acknowledge the importance of maintaining goodwill, by meeting financial obligations to volunteers, staff and suppliers, in a timely manner. The Charity seeks to pay its bills within 30 days of receipt.
## **Financial scrutiny**
The Hon Treasurer takes the lead in supervising the charity’s financial affairs, and the maintenance of proper financial records and procedures, in order to ensure the Charity’s financial viability. The Finance and General Purposes Committee met twice during the year, to discuss and make recommendations on, amongst other matters, the Annual Budget and Annual Report and Accounts.
## **Going concern**
The Trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern. They have approved a break-even budget for 2025/26.
They are confident that, with appropriate budgetary controls and even in the current difficult economic climate, Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service will continue in operation and that it is appropriate to prepare these financial statements on a going concern basis.
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## _**Reserves Policy**_
The Trustees have reviewed and updated the Charity's reserves policy, to more explicitly articulate the links between the policy and the Charity's key risks and strategic objectives.
In doing so, Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service differentiates between short, medium, and long term risks as follows:
**1. Short Term:** Meeting working capital requirements and mitigating unbudgeted, in-year financial risks. In HHAS's situation, examples might be to manage the cash flow implications of contractual payments.
Reserves held to mitigate these short-term risks must be held as cash or short-term deposits immediate access as needed.
**2. Medium Term:** Mitigating the financial impact of changes foreseen over the next 1-3 year planning cycle, allowing sufficient time for the Charity to develop and meet these challenges whilst minimising the impact of any required changes. Examples would include managing the foreseeable impact of changes in public sector funding or benefits policy.
Reserves held to mitigate these medium-term risks can be held as long-term cash deposits or bonds, as their drawdown can be planned over a longer period of time.
**3. Longer term:** Ensuring the Charity can invest in planned renewal of infrastructure and intellectual property, so that its assets do not become outdated over time. This would include investment in property, IT and digital assets, and in the development of staff.
Reserves held to mitigate these long-term risks would be designated by the Board of Trustees against an agreed investment plan. Trustees will expect the Charity to build these reserves back up over time, in order to support ongoing investment.
**4. Supporting Innovation:** Having funds available to identify and act on opportunities to branch out into new activities that will achieve its charitable objectives, whilst minimizing risk and impact on the Charity's existing activities. This would include research and development of new services and policy areas.
Reserves held to support innovation will be designated by the Board of Trustees against a clear investment plan. These funds would be held to support explicitly high-risk activity, and as such there is less requirement of a financial return.
The Board of Trustees will review the level of reserves set against each risk category, regularly as part of the annual budgeting cycle, and immediately in the event of a significant change in the Charity's activities, size or risk profile.
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## **Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service**
Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
Based on the Charity's current size and scope of activities, the Trustees consider that one month's operating expenditure is sufficient to cover short term risks; and a further two months operating expenditure is sufficient to mitigate medium terms risks.
The Trustees have prepared this report in accordance with the provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.
Signed on behalf of the Trustee Members
||ceby:|
|---|---|
|**Trustee**|ceby:
462DF4C07BCD495...|
||Claire Oliver|
|Date|18-Dec-2025|
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## _**Independent Examiner’s Report**_
To the trustees of Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service ('the Company')
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31st March 2025.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity's trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').
Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
Since your charity's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a listed body. I can confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a registered member of FCA which is one of the listed bodies.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)).
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Janice Matthews FCA Menzies LLP Magna House, |[Javice] DocuSigned 18-32 London Road Staines Upon Thames 18-Dec-2025 TW18 4BP
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**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## **5 Financial Accounts**
## _**Statement of Financial Activities**_
For the period 1[st] April 2024 to 31[st] March 2025
|Note
**Incoming Resources**
Grants
1
Donations & Projects
Bank Interest
Net income from trading
Other
**Total Incoming Resources**
**Resources Expended**
Direct charitable expenditure
2
Fund Raising & publicity
3
Management & admin costs
4
**Total Resources**
**Expenses**
**Net Incoming (Outgoing)**
**Resources**
Balance
brought
forward
As at 1stApril 2024
**Balance Carried Forward**
**As at 31st March 2025**|Unrestricted
Fund
£
232,235
6,252
1,277
1,520
820
**242,104**
109,313
35,215
103,074
**247,602**
**(5,498)**
63,607
**58,109**|Restricted
Fund
£
139,889
0
0
0
0
**139,889**
140,473
0
0
**140,473**
**(584)**
0
**(584)**|Year to
Total
31/3/2024
£
£
372,124
313,617
6,252
9,019
1,277
828
1,520
5,819
820
14,723
**381,993**
**344,006**
249,786
228,114
35,215
26,752
103,074
86,686
**388,075**
**341,552**
**(6,082)**
**2,454**
63,607
61,153
**57,525**
**63,607**|
|---|---|---|---|
The operating profit for the year arises from the company’s continuing operations. No separate Statement of Total Recognised Gains and Losses has been presented as all such gains and losses have been dealt with above.
The notes on pages 36 to 39 form part of these financial statements.
Page 34
Docusign Envelope ID: 7C1E5D97-5690-47E4-BF79-EA555E4AA198
**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
|**_Balance Sheet_**||||
|---|---|---|---|
|**As at 31st March 2025**|**Note**|**March**
**2025**|**March**
**2024**|
|**Fixed Assets**||||
|Tangible Assets|5|16,876|21,200|
|**Total Fixed Assets**||**16,876**|**21,200**|
|**Current Assets**||||
|Debtors||32,623|34,885|
|Cash at Bank & in hand|6|12,780|37,363|
|Prepayments||11,123|12,136|
|**Total Current Assets**||**56,526**|**84,384**|
|**Liabilities:**||||
|Amounts falling due within one year||||
|Creditors||11,832|10,528|
|Barclaycard||808|750|
|Advance payments||3,237|30,718|
|**Total**||**15,877**|**41,996**|
|**Net Current Assets**||**40,649**|**42,388**|
|**Total Assets**
**Represented by:**||**57,525**|**63,587**|
|**Surplus from previous years**||**63,607**|**61,153**|
|**General Reserve**||||
|**Surplus/Deficit for the year**||**(6,082)**|**2,454**|
|**Total General reserves**||**58,109**|**63,607**|
|**Total Restricted reserves**||**(584)**|**-**|
For the year ended 31/03/2025 the company was entitled to exemption from the requirement to have an audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006. The Members have not required the Company to obtain an audit of its accounts in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.
## _**Responsibilities of the Directors**_
The Directors acknowledge their responsibility for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and for the preparation of the accounts.
The Directors acknowledge their responsibility for:
- i) Ensuring the Company keeps accounting records which comply with the Companies Act 2006 and; ii) Preparing accounts which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Company as at the end of its financial year, and of its profit and loss for the financial year in accordance with the Companies Act 2006, and which otherwise comply with the requirement of the Act relating to accounts, so far as is applicable to this company.
Signed on behalf of the Trustee Members
**Trustee** Claire Oliver Date 18-Dec-2025
The notes on pages 36 to 39 form part of these Financial Statements
Page 35
Docusign Envelope ID: 7C1E5D97-5690-47E4-BF79-EA555E4AA198
**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## _**Movement in Resources**_
1[st] April 2024 to 31[st] March 2025
|**Incoming resources**
Grants and contracts
1
Donations & Projects
Bank Interest
Net income from trading
Other
**Total Incoming Resources**
**Outgoing resources**
Staff Salaries & related costs
Staff Auto Enrolled Pension
Staff travel & expenses
Staff recruitment
Staff & Vol. Training
Trustees/Vol. travel & expenses
Postage
Property costs/rent
Venue Hire – Clubs and classes
Printing and Stationery
Telephone & internet
Website & computer
Insurance & licenses
Legal & consultancy
Advertising & publicity
Events & catering
Subscriptions & membership
Vehicle Fuel & maintenance
Repair and maintenance
Depreciation
Payroll and Bank Charges
Other
**Total Outgoing**
**Net Incoming/Outgoing Resources**
**Balance Brought Forward as at 01/04/24**
**Balance Carried Forward as at 31/03/25**|Unrestricted
Fund
£
232,235
6,252
1,277
1,520
820
**242,104**
132,508
8,201
3,550
0
0
553
2,762
37,253
9,312
6,162
3,430
147
15,361
11,263
1,015
1,706
2,899
3,680
931
5,136
1,272
461
247,602
**(5,498)**
**63,607**
**58,109**|Restricted
Fund
£
139,889
0
0
0
0
**139,889**
134,555
0
5,292
0
626
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
140,473
**(584)**
**0**
**(584)**|Year to
Total
31/03/24
£
£
372,124
313,617
6,252
9,019
1,277
828
1,520
5,819
820
14,723
**381,993**
**344,006**
267,063
237,623
8,201
6,934
8,842
7,507
0
508
626
1,757
553
755
2,762
1,445
37,253
25,376
9,312
5,515
6,162
6,206
3,430
3,595
147
6,441
15,361
4,999
11,263
12,813
1,015
1,049
1,706
2,434
2,899
3,438
3,680
3,524
931
797
5,136
7,628
1,272
1,062
461
146
388,075
341,552
**(6,082)**
**2,454**
**63,607**
**61,153**
**57,525**
**63,607**|
|---|---|---|---|
The notes on pages 36 to 39 form part of these Financial Statements
Page 36
Docusign Envelope ID: 7C1E5D97-5690-47E4-BF79-EA555E4AA198
**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## _**Notes and policies to the accounts**_
## **Basis of Accounting**
The financial statements are prepared under historical cost convention as modified by the revaluation of certain assets and in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019) and the Companies Act 2006.
## **Income**
Grants, donations and legacies are taken to the statement of financial activities when there is a reasonable assurance of receipt. Grants relating to future period are deferred.
## **Tangible Fixed Assets and Depreciation**
Tangible assets are stated at cost less depreciation. Depreciation is provided at the following, which is rated in order to write each asset over its estimated useful life.
Furniture 10% on written down value Computer Equipment 25% on written down value Display Equipment 20% on written down value Motor Vehicle 25% on written down value
## **Stock**
Stock of equipment for on-sale and consumables are valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value after making due allowance for obsolete and slow moving items.
## **Taxation**
The company is a registered charity and is exempt from tax on its income and gains applied to charitable purpose. The company is not registered for VAT.
## **Allocation**
Resources expended are allocated to the particular activity where the cost relates directly to that activity. However, the cost of overall direction and administration on each activity, comprising the salary and overhead costs of the central function, is apportioned on the following basis which is an estimate based on staff time, of the amount attributable to each activity:
Fund-raising and publicity 20% Management and administration of the charity 80%
## **Restricted, Unrestricted and Designated Funds**
Restricted funds are to be used for specific purposes as laid down by the donor. Expenditure that meets these criteria is charged to the fund, together with a fair allocation of management and support costs. Unrestricted funds are donations and other incoming resources receivable or generated for the objects of the charity without further specified purpose and are available as general funds. Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the Board of Trustees for particular purposes.
Page 37
Docusign Envelope ID: 7C1E5D97-5690-47E4-BF79-EA555E4AA198
**Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
## **Notes to the accounts for the period 31[st] March 2025**
|**1. Grants**|Unrestricted|Restricted||Year to|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||Fund|Fund|Total|31/03/24|
||£|£|£|£|
|NHS Hertfordshire|139,117|0|139,117|113,605|
|HCC Community Wellbeing|0|10,400|10,400|24,612.|
|NHS Bedfordshire|26,718|0|26,718|17,462|
|NHS Suffolk/SCC|66,400|0|66,400|41,500|
|Suffolk Lip Reading Classes|0|30,000|30,000|30,000|
|Suffolk HIH Clubs|0|11,515|11,515|11,500|
|HVCCG Social Prescriber LW|0|72,474|72,474|74,938|
|NAPP|0|3,000|3,000|0|
|ARC|0|12,500|12,500|0|
|**Total Grants**|**232,235**|**139,889**|**372,124**|**313,617**|
It should noted that the above takes into account the entries of deferred income made by the charity and reflected in these financial statements. Such entry has been made to ensure appropriate accounting in accordance with the financial reporting framework.
|**2. Direct Charitable Expenditure**|Unrestricted|Restricted|31/03/25|31/03/24|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||Fund|Fund|Total|Total|
||£|£|£|£|
|Vehicle expenditure|3,680|0|3,680|18,198|
|Volunteer expenses|553|0|553|978|
|Support officer salaries & expenses|105,080|140,473|245,553|208,938|
|**Total Direct Charitable Expenditure**|**109,313**|**140,473**|**249,786**|**228,114**|
|**3. Fund Raising & Publicity**|Unrestricted|Restricted|||
||Fund|Fund|Total|Total|
||£|£|£|£|
|Staff salaries and expenses|22,839|0|22,839|16,747|
|Publicity|12,376|0|12,376|10,005|
|**Total Fund Raising & Publicity**|**35,215**|**0**|**35,215**|**26,752**|
|**4. Management & Administration**|Unrestricted|Restricted|||
||Fund|Fund|Total|Total|
||£|£|£|£|
|Salaries & expenditure|54,962|0|54,962|27,912|
|Insurance & licenses|15,361|0|15,361|16,412|
|Office expenses|16,352|0|16,352|21,921|
|Consultancy and Legal expenses|11,263|0|11,263|12,813|
|Depreciation|5,136|0|5,136|7,628|
|**Total Management & Administration**|**103,074**|**0**|**103,074**|**86,686**|
Page 38
Docusign Envelope ID: 7C1E5D97-5690-47E4-BF79-EA555E4AA198
## **Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service** Board of Trustees Annual Report For the year ended 31[st] March 2025
|**5. Fixed Assets**|Office|Office|Display|Motor||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||Equipment|Furniture|Equipment|Vehicle|Total|
||£|£|£|£|£|
|Costs as at 01/04/2024|30,431|4,540|
-|16,990|51,961|
|Additions|2,018|660|730|-|3,408|
|Disposals|(4,065)|(1,138)|-||(5,203)|
|Costs as at 31/03/2025|28,384|4,062|
730|16,990|50,166|
|Depreciation as at 01/04/2025|10,915|3,252|-|16,594|30,761|
|Charge for the year|4,351|222|167|396|5,136|
|Disposal|(1,840)|(767)|
-|-|(2,607)|
|Depreciation as at 31/03/2025|13,426|2,707|167|16,990|33,290|
|**Net Book Value 31/03/2025**|**14,958**|**1,355**|**563**|**0**|**16,876**|
|Net Book Value 31/03/2024|19,516|1,288|-|396|21,200|
|**Fixed Assets Segregation**|**2024/25**|**2023/24**||||
||£||£|||
|Direct charitable purposes|**9,747**||12,720|||
|Indirect charitable purposes|**6,498**||8,480|||
|**Total**|**16,245**||**21,200**|||
|**6. Cash at Bank and in Hand**|**2024/25**|**2023/24**||||
||**£**||**£**|||
|Cash at hand|840||330|||
|CAF Cash & CAF Gold A/C|11,007||25,660|||
|Bank Account (Suffolk)|933||11,392|||
|**Total Cash**|**12,780**||**37,382**|||
## **7. Staff Disclosure**
Number of Employees earning between £50,000 and £60,000 P/Annum was: 1 Number of Employees earning between £20,000 and £30,000 P/Annum was: 2
The remuneration and benefits received by key management personnel totalled £65,571 during the year.
The average number of paid employees, analysed by function and Reported from this year as Full Time Equivalent (FTE) at 31[st] March 2025:
||**2025**|**2024**|
|---|---|---|
|Direct services|4.8|4.8|
|Fundraising & Publicity (10% of CEO’s time)|0.2|0.2|
|Management & Administration|4.0|4.0|
|Total|9.0|9.0|
|Remuneration paid to Trustee members was:|Nil|Nil|
|Reimbursement of expenses paid to Trustee Committee Members was:|Nil|Nil|
|Transactions with any members of the Trustees Board:|Nil|Nil|
## **Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service**
_**Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25**_
The Chairman and Board of Trustees thank you for your interest in the work of the Hearing Advisory Services in Suffolk, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire
Weltech Business Centre, Ridgeway, Welwyn Garden City AL7 2AA www.hhas.org.uk
i The Deaf Community. People in and around Hertfordshire who use British Sign Language as their main aid to communication.
Page 39