Byddar - Cymru

Merrill Osmond at Cardiff....
Byddar - Cymru Supported by The Siren Sisters and A470s Bigband To benefit The Hearing Fund UK and Wales Council for Deaf People Merrill Osmond, lead singer of famous Osmonds celebrates over 55 years in show business. This Fundraising Big Band Concert, to raise awareness of the needs of the deaf in Wales, is for a cause close to his heart. Merrill’s two elder brothers, Virl and To...
Tue, May 21 2013 · 15 hours ago

Penarth youngsters at the Sennedd...
Byddar - Cymru Caitlin Dando, Leam Tucker, and Ryan Payne are urging the Welsh Assembly to support deaf children in schools. THREE local deaf young people have presented a video to the Welsh Assembly's Petitions Committee. Leam Tucker, 13, Caitlin Dando, 14, and Ryan Payne, 12, who all attend St Cyres school in Penarth, also appear as some of the experts in the video, which ...
Fri, May 17 2013

Welsh Petition by the NDCS...
Byddar - Cymru P-04-481 Close the Gap for deaf pupils in Wales.Petition wording:We call upon the National Assembly for Wales to urge the Welsh Government to develop a national strategy to Close the Gap in educational attainment between deaf pupils and their peers.The National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) Cymru presents this petition today as it is both Deaf Awareness Week and tw...
Mon, May 13 2013

Free Deaf Awareness Training
Byddar - Cymru Or maybe not......Neath Port Talbot Council for Voluntary Service, in collaboration with Deaf Access Cymru, is offering free training on deaf awareness to staff, volunteers and trustees of Third Sector organisations working within Neath Port Talbot. The training will cover issues such as:Types of deafnessAppropriate terminologyDifferent communication methodsCommon com...
Thu, May 09 2013

Deaf children can't reach potential in Wales
Byddar - Cymru The NDCS, still the only game in town.     Deaf children in Wales face barriers to learning at schools and colleges which are stopping them from reaching their full potential, says a charity. The National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS) Cymru said there is an attainment gap between deaf pupils and their peers at every Key Stage. A video petition to ministers ca...
Tue, May 07 2013

Deaf awareness week for Wales
Byddar - Cymru Blink, and you will miss it...... last year, deaf input was almost nil..... HEARING is to come under the spotlight in Wales next week as a charity aims to raise awareness of hearing loss.  During Deaf Awareness Week, which starts on Monday, charity Action on Hearing Loss Cymru is urging residents across Wales to follow some top communication tips to avoid exclud...
Fri, May 03 2013

Free BSL taster lessons in Brigend.
Byddar - Cymru FREE British Sign Language taster session 02.05.2013   To mark Deaf Awareness Week (6-12 May 2013), the Equality and Engagement team are hosting a FREE British Sign Language (BSL) taster session. A native BSL user will guide you through everyday vocabulary and phrases including the alphabet, how to introduce yourself, family, numbers, hobbies, common phrases used...
Fri, May 03 2013

Former rugby Player: Measles made me deaf.
Byddar - Cymru Former Wales international rugby player Christian Loader has revealed he has been left deaf in one ear from measles as a child.The 39-year-old, who won 19 caps for his country between 1996 and 1997, admitted "it has been hard" to live with.“I caught measles when I was a young boy, and it left me without any hearing in my right ear. I’ve adapted, but it has been di...
Wed, Apr 24 2013

Welsh Assembly: Deaf don't matter...
Byddar - Cymru Yet another debated session at the welsh assembly that excludes the deaf from following the democratic process of debate or inclusion, this follows the recent public information output that also omitted formats access for the 300,000 deaf and HI in Wales.  Byddar Cymru has forwarded a complaint to the welsh Assembly, and, to the BBC who are complicit in ignoring our ...
Wed, Apr 17 2013

Rev Townsend: The Bermondsey Asylum.
Byddar - Cymru English clergyman called the Reverend John Townsend (1757-1826), (pictured).. He is known for his establishment of the Asylum for the Support and Education of Deaf and Dumb Children of the Poor, or more informally, the ‘Bermondsey Asylum.’ Later (in 1792) he was co-founder of the London Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb (now the Royal School for Deaf Children, Margate)...
Wed, Apr 17 2013

Measles in SOUTH WALES
Byddar - Cymru Another update and NHS recommendation, but, where is the publicity material for the deaf parents ?  Where are the deaf charity involvements ? VIDEO LINK:    Health Minister Mark Drakeford AM has thanked NHS staff for their response to the Measles outbreak in the Swansea area and called on parents, carers and communities to ensure that children have the MMR...
Tue, Apr 16 2013

Deaf Cook: From Hermit to Mainstream.
Byddar - Cymru A DEAF chef who faced a life as “a hermit” after losing his hearing can now look forward to a bright future after milestone restorative surgery. Gethin Williams, 21, from Cefn Glas, said his life unravelled after his world became silent two years ago.  Simple everyday tasks became a struggle after his tinnitus condition developed into profound deafness.  Hea...
Fri, Apr 12 2013

NHS Directs deaf patients to non-extant support..
Byddar - Cymru Deaf callers to NHS Direct or 111 in Gwent found life rather difficult.  After struggling to raise both health support areas via Out of Hours contacts, then being referred to minor injury units locally, deaf found it was closed and non-accessible AFTER hours when the service was needed.  Here the opening hours, show us that at holiday times and AFTER hours when...
Mon, Apr 08 2013

Measles epidemic in South Wales
Byddar - Cymru An warning for deaf parents.    An outbreak of measles centred in Swansea has reached 588 cases. However, the numbers taking up the MMR jab has increased, with almost 600 people having the injection in the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg Health Board (ABM) area in the past seven days. ​ That figure does not include children routinely vaccinated at 13 months and three y...
Sat, Apr 06 2013

DARG Second report on NHS OOH.
Byddar - Cymru Out of Hours - Out of Bounds ?   The Deaf Action Research Group second OOH (Out of Hours access report),  Has been released today.  HERE is the full report in detail.  To all intents and purposes an NHS service, those with hearing/communication loss and many hearing vulnerable, are unable, or prevented from accessing. This follows the concerns of chaotic call...
Wed, Mar 27 2013

BSL bloggers, part of the problem, not the cure ?
Byddar - Cymru This welsh blog seems unable to take to task the issue of why  Access for all deaf people is being outright obstructed and refused by the NHS.   As an unashamed and biased pro-BSL area, it seems to care not if other deaf or those with hearing loss have any access at all, maintaining the 'Us and them' farce that in fact holds us all back.  One issue they pointe...
Tue, Mar 26 2013

NHS DIrect: Can U contact them this way ?
Byddar - Cymru Why are Welsh Deaf declaring NHS direct does not respond ?
Wed, Mar 20 2013

Calling all Support in Wales.
Byddar - Cymru Byddar Cymru is making an appeal to ALL deaf/HI support workers in Wales to help compile an effective list of support contacts that the NHS can include in their new digital medical record systems. Byddar Cymru and the ATR site has campaigned for inclusion on digital medical record systems to include support we all need, and, where to obtain it.  That data then c...
Wed, Mar 20 2013

NHS Direct: Don't call Us in Wales.
Byddar - Cymru First deaf and HI welsh cannot access NHS DIRECT, then they failed to provide FOI access, now, they say don't call anyway !   NHS Direct Wales 'turned off' for 999 calls, Unison claims.   Some calls to the ambulance service have to be dealt with by NHS Direct Wales staff  The NHS Direct Wales helpline is turned off occasionally as its nurses deal with 999 calls ins...
Sun, Mar 17 2013

Who is IN: Who is OUT.
Byddar - Cymru Here is the new kid on the Health block at the welsh assembly.  Deaf are still not getting their access, LET HIM KNOW !Office Address: 33-35 Cathedral Road, Cardiff, CF11 9HBPhone: 029 2022 3207Email: Mark.Drakeford@Wales.gov.ukAssembly Address:National Assembly for WalesCardiff BayCardiffCF99 1NAPhone: 029 2089 8724Welsh/CymraegDyma'r plentyn newydd ar y bloc Iechyd...
Fri, Mar 15 2013

Bridgend council praised for supporting deaf..
Byddar - Cymru The Bridgend council has been praised for its work supporting deaf and hard of hearing people in the borough.An UK-based charity that supports people with hearing loss and tinnitus, has awarded Bridgend County Borough Council a charter mark in recognition of the services it provides for the public and its own employees who have hearing problems.The council received pr...
Thu, Mar 14 2013

What all good Doctors do....
Byddar - Cymru Good Medical Practice: Duties of a doctor The duties of a doctor registered with the General Medical Council Patients must be able to trust doctors with their lives and health. To justify that trust you must show respect for human life and you must: Make the care of your patient your first concern Protect and promote the health of patients and the public Provide a...
Wed, Mar 13 2013

NHS Cymru/Welsh Assembly ignore consultations
Byddar - Cymru of 300,000 deaf and others with hearing loss in Wales in favour of charities and vested interest groups who have no mandate via consulting grass roots, or via an active membership.    So who decides who speaks for 300,000 others ?  Anyone individual so claiming can be challenged, but it seems the bigger you are the less you have to defend anything.It is pretty clea...
Mon, Mar 11 2013

Tale of the Welsh NHS tape.
Byddar - Cymru Details of an FOI data request sent to DARG recently.  Issues covered: (1)  premium rate contacts for the NHS in Wales. After reports  some NHS areas were using them still. (2) questions asked re steering report from charities.  Questioned as no consultation was undertaken, and in-house charity staff used instead..  Claims of consultation was unproven,...
Sun, Mar 10 2013

Out of Hours support down 50% in North Wales
Byddar - Cymru Gwynedd GP Phil White called for increased investment in out-of-hours services.  He said: ‘Out of hours is exclusively funded by GMS [general medical services]. Nobody puts a penny in from elsewhere, yet the out of hours [service] is expected to cover all sorts of other activities from community hospitals, intermediate care, minor injuries and the private hospitals...
Mon, Mar 04 2013

New Deaf Champion...
Byddar - Cymru A NEW champion to look after the interests of deaf people in the Isle of Man has just started a two-year tenure. Gareth Foulkes and his hearing dog Derfel are based for three weeks in every month with the Manx Deaf Society at its offices in Somerset Road, Douglas.  For the other week he will work from home in his native Anglesey. Commenting on his role in the...
Sun, Mar 03 2013

NHS Wales policy
Byddar - Cymru 5 Days left too offer input ?  a little late I think, DARG and Byddar Cymru did this last year.  Where are the captions ?
Sun, Mar 03 2013

St David's Day..
Byddar - Cymru St David's Day is celebrated in Wales on 1 March, in honour of Dewi Sant or St David, the patron saint of Wales. Little is known about him for certain. What little information we have is based on an account of his life written by Rhigyfarch towards the end of the 11th century. According to this Latin manuscript, Dewi died in the year 589. His mother was called No...
Thu, Feb 28 2013

NHS DIRECT Wales: Breaking the law
Byddar - Cymru Recent research by members of the Deaf Research Access group in Wales, have found that NHS Direct an nation-wide system of access for NHS patients in work and via Out of Hourse services, failed to provide legal access to Freedom of Information via the UK data laws,and may ebd up in court.  NHS direct not only failed to provide that information to deaf people b...
Wed, Feb 20 2013

Putting the patient first ?
Byddar - Cymru A new report  from the NHS after heavy and sustained criticism of patient abuses by the NHS (As if deaf were not aware already).The report is Here Some suggestions here,  what do YOU think ? they apologise for many deaths, but they still ignore deaf patient real access.
Tue, Feb 19 2013

What's On in Wales 2013/14
Byddar - Cymru Here is a selection of assisted performance events in Wales over the next few months: For the latest assisted cinema releases visit HERE  and search for your nearest town. New Theatre Wales Millennium Centre Sherman Cymru New Theatre British Sign Language Driving Miss Daisy - 9 February 2013 2.30pm Disney's Beauty & the Beast - 1 June 2013 2pm The...
Fri, Feb 15 2013

Online support for deaf mental health patients in Flintshire
Byddar - Cymru DEAF people struggling to cope with mental health issues can now access online support and direction thanks to a new initiative. The North Wales Deaf Mental Health Network, part of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, is reaching out across the web to those who need a helping hand.  The network provides a service aimed at adults over 18 years of age.  M...
Thu, Feb 14 2013

Welsh NHS failing Deaf people: DARG Accredited.
Byddar - Cymru DARG Applauds REMARK, the only coverage so far that recognised who actually did the research and triggered the BBC Wales item.   (DARG is via Mr Ian Crimmond).  A report by the BBC has revealed that Welsh health boards are breaching the Equality Act by not giving Deaf people equal access to healthcare. This is because the health boards have not published their a...
Wed, Feb 13 2013

Concerts for the deaf community
Byddar - Cymru A new project by BBC National Orchestra of Wales is helping Deaf, deafened and hard of hearing adults and children to access music, through a series of free events in Cardiff. On Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 February 2013, the Orchestra will perform a series of free concerts that aim to be as accessible as possible to audience members who are Deaf, deafened and ha...
Tue, Feb 05 2013

The Buck stops here ?
Byddar - Cymru How to fall on your sword without getting actually cut !  (You wait till the dust settles, then blame it on someone else presumably) .   Leslie Griffiths for whom the bell is certainly tolling after DARG's report on NHS deliberative violations of access laws for the communicationally impaired in Wales, and then televised by BBC Wales seems to have gone o...
Mon, Feb 04 2013

PACT at Bridgend Deaf Club.
Byddar - Cymru South Wales Police has teamed up with Bridgend Deaf Club to set up a series of Deaf Police And Communities Together (Pact) meetings in the town, where profoundly deaf people using sign language will be able to put their crime and safety concerns to officers. A meeting on Tuesday, February 5, is the first of four quarterly sessions due to take place in 2013, followin...
Mon, Feb 04 2013

BMA says sorry to deaf people...
Byddar - Cymru But we don't want apologies we want access..... where is it ?   The British Medical Association (BMA) has said that deaf people receive a rough deal after a BBC investigation finds Welsh health boards are failing to comply with the law by not providing accessible services.Booking a doctor's appointment or dealing with a medical emergency means just picking up the pho...
Fri, Feb 01 2013

Relying on WITS.
Byddar - Cymru South Wales Police has teamed up with Bridgend Deaf Club to set up a series of Deaf Police And Communities Together (Pact) meetings in the town, where profoundly deaf people using sign language will be able to put their crime and safety concerns to officers. A meeting on Tuesday, February 5, is the first of four quarterly sessions due to take place in 2013, followi...
Thu, Jan 31 2013

Lies damn lies and Deaf people...
Byddar - Cymru After SIGN HEALTH expressed concern their BSL claims were near 60% incorrect, ( last year claiming there were over 70,000 BSL users ! whoops their nose must be outside the front door by now), they may be having a hard job justifying BSL relay services.  In Wales charities suggest there are:  (They don't, only ONE charity says there are). • 500,000 people in Wal...
Thu, Jan 31 2013

Parents of deaf child: To sue over lack of Welsh access
Byddar - Cymru The parents of a profoundly deaf girl are threatening a council with legal action for failing to recruit a Welsh-medium sign language tutor. John and Caryl Clarke withdrew their daughter Hafwen from Penrhyncoch Primary School, near Aberystwyth, last October when her signer left. council said it had advertised for a replacement without success, but was still tryin...
Thu, Jan 31 2013

Sense Cymru: Still not in the loop ?
Byddar - Cymru The Social Services & Well-being Bill (Wales), introduced in the Welsh Assembly on Tuesday, is welcome but needs further clarity to ensure deafblind people continue to receive specialist assessment of their needs, according to Sense Cymru. “Sense Cymru is pleased that the Bill will give the Welsh Government the choice to continue this key entitlement for deafbl...
Wed, Jan 30 2013

Emily Noden selected for deaf Olympic Games
Byddar - Cymru A TALENTED young swimmer is seeking sponsorship after being selected to represent the UK at the Deaflympic Games in Bulgaria later this year. Emily Noden, 16, of Holywell, is a student at The Queen’s School in Chester. She is now stepping up her training programme in preparation for the event as well as trying to raise £2,625 to attend. British deaf athletes do...
Fri, Jan 25 2013

Hello young Lovers..
Byddar - Cymru In Wales, forget Valentine, or if you are a canny Welsh Girl get two days worth of presents.  It is St Dwynwyn's day today. St Dwynwen's day is celebrated in Wales on 25 January and commemorates the patron saint of friendship and love.  Dwynwen lived during the 5th century and was, by all accounts, one of the prettiest of Brychan Brycheiniog's 24 daughters. ...
Fri, Jan 25 2013

Patients Safety our prime AIM...
Byddar - Cymru Patient safety is paramount .. but deaf access apparently isn't, and not been established as a right yet, so how can they ENSURE safety ?  Promises ?  What they are saying at the WAG.  Any more hot air the roof comes off..... Welsh health Minister on the run after discredited consultations ? Lesley Griffiths said: “The NHS in Wales has made great st...
Thu, Jan 24 2013

Raise money for Heti...
Byddar - Cymru An auction to raise money to help a deaf little girl from Carmarthen get specialist treatment is due to be held this week. Money raised at the event will help three-year-old Heti Williams, of Abergorlech Road, get further specialist speech therapy.  Funds from the event will also be donated to Heti's school, the Resource Base for Hearing Impaired Children at Par...
Thu, Jan 24 2013

Welsh Health Consultation...
Byddar - Cymru Blink and you will miss it !  Deaf in Wales really do need to get involved in this please don't ignore it.   HERE is the link.  Under pressure from campaigners the welsh Health Minister Leslie Griffiths has thrown open a new consultation process about patient issues in Wales,after doubts were expressed regarding previous consultation processes.  If you a...
Tue, Jan 22 2013

Signing police ? That's 'HANDY' !
Byddar - Cymru A NEIGHBOURHOOD police officer has become the force’s “handy man” after completing a 10-week sign-language course. The Pontypridd officer – aptly named Jonathan Handy – is now one of South Wales Police’s leading communicators with the deaf following the sessions.  PC Handy will soon become one the valleys’ most recognised coppers after starring in ...
Thu, Jan 17 2013

Deaf welsh choir aims at Britain's Got Talent...
Byddar - Cymru Our very own "Only Deaf Allowed" choir..    A Torfaen School's deaf choir. which formed just over a year ago  is hoping to get through to see the celebrity judges if Britain's Got Talent. Llantarnam Deaf choir consists of 12 pupils aged 11 to 18, from the hearing - impaired unit at Llantarnam School, who sing along to the backing tracks.  The choir has al...
Thu, Jan 17 2013

THE ATR REPORT.
Byddar - Cymru Is now for perusal on this blog.  ATR extends many thanks to selected areas of the UK deaf and HI community for taking the trouble to wade through the rough drafts, and to offer input and advice (As well as correcting my abysmal proof reading efforts!).  For first time readers, I should explain that the primary purpose of this report/paper is AWARENESS.   Inclusi...
Tue, Jan 15 2013

Deaf in S.Wales: Job Search Help.
Byddar - Cymru OVER 20 organisations will be coming together on Tuesday, January 15, for an inspiring event to support local people with their future, nd includes deaf people.. The event has been organised by the Vale Adult Learning Network and is supported by NIACE (National Institute for Adult and Continuing Education) and the January campaign for Your Choice Your Future Your...
Wed, Jan 09 2013