The CEO of Action on Hearing Loss, Paul Breckell, has posted a video urgently asking the charity’s supporters to bridge a potential £2.5 million shortfall in the charity’s funds.
The reason for the shortfall, Breckell tells us in the video, is a reduction in the money that people have left the charity in their wills (otherwise known as legacy income), which can fluctuate.
There is a deadline of 31st March for the funds to be found, and without the money, he says that some of the charity’s work will have to be cut.
Here is the video:
By Charlie Swinbourne, Editor
Enjoying our eggs? Support The Limping Chicken:
The Limping Chicken is the world's most popular Deaf blog, and is edited by Deaf journalist, screenwriter and director Charlie Swinbourne.
Our posts represent the opinions of blog authors, they do not represent the site's views or those of the site's editor. Posting a blog does not imply agreement with a blog's content. Read our disclaimer here and read our privacy policy here.
Find out how to write for us by clicking here, and how to follow us by clicking here.
The site exists thanks to our supporters. Check them out below:
- BSL Zone: TV programmes in BSL for the Deaf community
- Deaf Umbrella: what support is available for deaf students?
- Bellman & Symfon: home alerting solutions, including the mobile phone transceiver!
- SignVideo: Instant BSL video interpreting online
- SignHealth: check out the BSL health library
- 999 BSL: call 999 in an emergency, in BSL
- Appa: Looking for RSLIs, TSLIs and CSWs, apply here!
- Signly: Adding BSL to websites
- Signworld: Learn BSL online!
- DCAL: world-class research into deafness, cognition and language
- Action Deafness: “A Deaf-Led Charity” – interpreting & community support services
- Sign Solutions: Instant access to Interpreters, training and BSL translation nationwide
- InterpretersLive: On demand BSL video interpretation
- Lipspeaker UK: specialist lipspeaking support
- BID: Deaf services, including advice and support, interpreting, employment and letters
- Performance Interpreting: BSL interpreting at concerts
- National Deaf Children's Society: The leading charity for deaf children
hartmut
February 26, 2014
Whay kind of charity is this organization? To what groups and activities is this charity supporting?
Hartmut
Linda Richards
February 26, 2014
Ends with …. “Thank you for ‘listening’ “!!! Groan!
Tim
February 26, 2014
Huh? They’ve already cut the employment advisory service and the social security casework team at the time when it is needed the most by Deaf people.
Just what do they spend their money on?
They hardly hire any Deaf people and refused to train up Deaf people when we asked them to. Let them fall.
hartmut
February 26, 2014
Looking at the video. Now i know where fhe money goes. Hearing aids, Deaf babies to be “restored” to hearing, research on deafness and tinnitus. Anything to eradicate deafness and nothing to combat audism. Nothing to promote the culture of sign language and being deaf. Deafness is to be propagandized and kept in mind as a ghoulish thing.
I am deaf, but not my ears, – an oxymoron that makes sense in the Deaf World –
Surdo, ergo sum.
Say when you bid farewell “Faredeaf” or “Be deaf!”
Hartmut
nathan
February 26, 2014
What a pathetic charity who has never ever done anything for me.
They spent millions on the rebranding to action for hearing loss. That’s enough to send alarm bells ringing.
Its far more important to have several excellent deaf charities than one big mega one which is useless!
Michelle Hedley
February 26, 2014
I have been a member of AOHL (previously RNID) for over 20 years and I have to admit recently I have stopped donating and also withdrew my legacy in my will. Why? I have seen over recent years more and more focus on our future such as curing deafness, and hardly any focus on us NOW. Yes I agree the research is important, for our children and grandchildren, but we are also living now and that is just as important. Legal advice for example was withdrawn which I found very useful when needing to know where I stood before battling with organisations. They dont seem willing to take on legal cases on our behalf – such as more accessibilty in theatres, or the topical Lovefilm/online streaming services. I no longer see what they do with my money and thus I have sadly stopped.
silversmile
February 26, 2014
So the £3 million from Deafness Research UK didnt help much? Grr
deafiebsl
February 26, 2014
Total directors salaries £1m, just give up their salaries and donate to AOHL!
Lana
February 26, 2014
Why this last minute announcement of money shortage? How can they get 2.5 million in 4 weeks???
Linda P
February 27, 2014
If you have questions about AoHL’s finances, you can find out. Go to Charity Commission http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/find-charities/ and type “RNID” in the purple box.
I was also wondering why this “urgent appeal” – raise £2.5m in a month? Or maybe it’s just clever fundraising, get all supporters to dig deep in their pockets!c
John
February 27, 2014
This course of action smacks of desperation effectively begging people for money. They have rested on their laurels and scored a massive own goal with their rebranding exercise which was always destined to fail. Basically they have buried their heads in the sand, lost their identity, and have disenfranchised their own deaf supporters who can recognise a sinking ship when they see one. A lack of foresight and forward planning will result in the organisation’s demise. Someone needs to be held accountable for this mess and financial mismanagement, and in the business world this would result in the resignation of the CEO. So the trustees on the board and members with voting rights should request an emergency AGM and register a vote of no confidence in the CEO and the senior management team (directors & VPs). But unfortuntely as they are not truly representative of those who are deaf or have a hearing loss, I cannot see this happening.
nathan
February 27, 2014
Actually , how many of the board are deaf? Probably none. I think deaf people should have a majority representative on the board! How do one get on the board?
Hartmut
February 27, 2014
I did not realize this association is the former RNID. Why the name change to include “hearing loss”. What a disgusting word for an association that should help bridge the chasm that exists between hearing and deaf worlds. Well, we don’t regard our inability to hear or do so only partially don’t consider it a loss, but a gain. We don’t ever search for this thing!
Be Deaf! Faredeaf!
Hartmut
Laraine Callow
March 31, 2014
I have already left specific instructions that after my death no money is donated to the RNID / AoHL under any circumstances. The reason for this? One staff member said I had a chip on my shoulder when I dared to suggest that one of their clients was unhappy with their Employment Services. I also received a long raging email from one of the Directors on the same topic. When I went to an event a seat was reserved for me as a guest visitor and one of the very junior staff sat there and refused to give up her seat even though the seating was for guests and not staff. There were many examples of this kind of aggressive behaviour. This is apart from the RNID’s attitude towards their deaf staff looking for promotion which very few people talk about but which was (and remains) totally unacceptable. I sincerely hope the organisation winds down and makes way for other deaf organisations who are doing their best for deaf and hard of hearing people everywhere.