Our 2011 charity partner is: The Ear Foundation

UK Registered Charity No 1068077

Deafness, whether in childhood or adulthood, can have devastating, unseen consequences for individuals and family, making communication and spoken language difficult and limiting educational and employment options. Yet we live in the most exciting times for deaf people – adults and children alike. Modern hearing technology provides greater opportunities than ever before.

The Ear Foundation is an independent Charity based in Nottingham which helped fund the first profoundly deaf child in the UK to receive a cochlear implant. Today cochlear implants are available on the NHS, and Nottingham has a Centre of Excellence reputation in the field of audiology.

Over the past decade, advances in hearing technology* and earlier diagnosis and intervention mean deaf children are achieving more if they are given the appropriate support and guidance from family and professionals in their day-to-day lives. The Ear Foundation provides this support and training to Users, families and professionals, reaching an average of 1,000 families each year nationally and internationally.

We also carry out Research with Users and their family members and have published papers based on the evidence we obtain, which have been used to support the Department of Health’s NICE Guidelines on patients receiving cochlear implants.

The Ear Foundation aims to provide a bridge between the clinic-based services where these exciting technologies are fitted, and daily lives where they are used by children and adults at home, school and work. We do this by providing:

• A Family Programme: Connect & Communicate - aimed at deaf children of all ages • An Education Programme: for professional services, who work with deaf children and adults on a day-to-day basis • Clinical Services: Sound Advice, enabling individual users to make the most of their hearing and technology • Our Family & User-focussed Research Programme: provides evidence to support best practice.

Our vision is that: All deaf people have the opportunity to hear, communicate and develop spoken language using the latest technological interventions. * modern day hearing technologies including: cochlear implants, hearing aids and now Bone Anchored Hearing Aids (BAHAs)

Our Charity Partnerships

Such is the success of the event that besides raising essential funds for our school we are delighted to be able to support other charities. Each year we choose a different charity partner to whom half of the total monies raised are given.

Often the charity is suggested by a parent, or local resident and charities that have benefited include: Multiple Sclerosis Society, Imperial Cancer Research Fund, National Meningitis Trust, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, Leukemia Research Fund, Mencap, NSPCC, Macmillan Cancer Relief and Help the Hospices.

Since it began in 1995 the Viking Challenge has raised nearly £250,000 for the school and its charity partners.

How You Can Help

You don’t need to be a cyclist to help support the event. You can give your support in the following ways;

Corporate sponsorship If your organisation is interested in supporting the Viking Challenge, please contact us on info@vikingchallenge.org.uk

Making a donation

There is a donation section on the online entry form and the download pdf entry form. Thank you for all your support and helping to make a difference to Redmile C of E Primary School and our chosen charity for 2010 :Dove Cottage Day Hospice.

Volunteering

It takes over 100 volunteers on the day itself with many more planning and organizing it in the months before – from baking cakes to marshalling the course if you would like to get involved do contact us on info@vikingchallenge.org.uk