STAFF at Swindon Borough Council have spoken of their delight at being nominated for a special award for to the excellent services they provide for people with hearing difficulties.

The scheme, launched by campaign group Let’s Loop Swindon, aims to promote local shops and businesses that use a hearing loop system to make the lives of their customers easier.

Those who are selected will be invited to attend an awards ceremony to be held at The Civic Offices on November 18.

This week, the council’s Civic Offices in Euclid Street and their One Stop Shop in Beckhampton Street have stood out as being particularly conducive to the needs of members of the public with hearing problems.

Nick Stephenson, SBC’s change leas for equality and diversity, said: “We are honoured to be nominated as it is something we recognise should be there to ensure accessibility of our services to all members of the public.

"It is hugely beneficial because it means more people can feel comfortable and can participate in debates more easily.”

Nick said that the previous loop system installed in the Civic Offices wasn’t easy to use and people were required to wear a neck loop, which would sometimes interfere with pacemakers.

However, the new and improved system allows for a higher degree of discretion as people can simply adjusting their hearing aids to the required setting.

Nick said: “Hopefully people will feel more confident about coming in and discussing things.

“The awards are highlighting something really important and making people aware of the issues faced by those with hearing difficulties.

“It’s brilliant I’m really proud that the council is on board with it.”

The hearing loop system allows users to tune their hearing aid to a frequency that picks up the microphones being used by store staff at their checkouts.

One Stop Shop manager Lisa Pittard said: “The awards are great for Swindon and it would be good if other shops and businesses, even other councils, followed our lead and took it seriously.

“Imagine being the only person in the room that doesn’t know what is going on. It must be a very isolating experience.

“We are very pleased to receive this nomination and we can only hope that more people become aware of the issue.”

Let’s Loop Swindon is a community project that was established to improve both awareness and the provision of hearing loops in the town.

To nominate a shop, business or individual for an award, nominators are asked to consider the two following questions: ‘Where did you have the best hearing experience in Swindon?’ and ‘Why did you have a good hearing experience in Swindon?’ Email your answers along with details of the nominee to thomas.haworth@swindonadvertiser.co.uk, call 01793 501774 or post your nominations in to The Adver office at 100 Victoria Road, Old Town, SN1 3BE before November 5.