Signature Community Spirit Award Winners

Congratulations to Shelia and John Cheetham. John, retired PDDCS President for many years and his wife, Shelia won the Community Spirit 2014 Signature Annual Awards this month.





Below is from the Signature website http://signatureannualawards.org.uk/the-ceremony

Five minutes with Shelia and John Cheetham  - 2014 Signature Annual Awards Community Spirit winners

How did you feel when you were announced the 2014 Community Spirit Award winners?

Absolutely shocked, and very Honoured. The more so when we saw the standing ovation from the congregation!!

Did you enjoy the evening at Durham Cathedral?

Yes we did very much. Durham Cathedral was a beautiful place to have the ceremony. The people who were in attendance were all appreciative of the problems associated with Hearing Impairment, and in the drinks and canapés interval it was interesting to see everybody communicating with neighbours.

Could you give us a quote summing up the Signature Annual Awards for you?

It meant a lot to both of us. The nomination came as a complete surprise, in fact initially I thought it was a scam! When I made contact with Signature, I was both shocked, and excited at the prospect of a National Award for the time we had spent trying to raise the awareness of the hidden disability of Hearing Loss. Thank you for making the evening one to remember for the rest of our lives.

Where will you be putting your award?

It is in pride of place in our day room. The light through the stained glass award is lovely. It picks out the different colours, showing them off to all occupants.

Out of all the work you have done in the community what are you most proud of?

It is difficult to pick out one. There are three that I have found give us a lot of satisfaction.

1. Music and the deaf - seeing profoundly deaf children playing violins etc is very moving.
2. Getting a 'Hearing Dog' for a deaf child - the difference this makes to the child's life, giving them confidence, and getting the family to become one again.
3. Starting a Deaf Awareness Trust - which is teaching communication to the general public, so that Hearing Impaired people need not be afraid of conversing with non deafened people.