The National Deaf Children's Society

Hi, my name is Harrison, I am 11 years old and I am deaf. I love football and I play for a local mainstream team as well being part of the England FA Regional Emerging Talent Programme where my aim is to play for the England Deaf football team when I am older.

I am raising money to help The National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS), a charity that has helped me and my family since I was diagnosed with a hearing loss at the age of 2 and a half. Their vision is a world without barriers for every deaf child.

Starting on the 24th July 2023, me and my Dad are aiming to visit ALL 20 PREMIER LEAGUE STADIUMS IN 36 HOURS!! 
We will begin in Newcastle and work our way down south from there, ending up at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. I will also be learning to sign (British Sign Language) all of the teams names and do a video at each of the stadiums of me signing them.

Thank you in advance for your contribution to this cause which means so much to me.

So here goes telling my story on why I chose the national children's deaf society charity to run on behalf of in the London marathon 2019.

The charity is one close to our families heart as my niece is profoundly deaf. The charity provides opportunities to children who may otherwise become isolated and vulnerable due to the deafness. 

So here's some info about me :) I'm training alone for the London marathon and have chosen to do so, to prove to myself that I am capable of more than what I think I am. I'll be running in what is one of the biggest marathons in the world, pushing myself every step towards the finish line knowing that every step is another one closer to the end :) I wanna enjoy every moment knowing that I have raised money for what is truly an incredible charity. So please please give what you can to help this awesome charity continue to support deaf children and their families. 

So you guys know what an amazing charity this is I've given details below of their background and history:

The National Deaf Children's Society was founded in London on 15 December 1944 by a handful of parents of deaf children concerned about the impact of the 1944 Education Act on their schooling.  

Established as the Society of St. John of Beverley, its objective was 'to further in every way possible the provision of full modern education for all deaf children in England, as originally accorded to hearing children'.

1945: It was renamed The Deaf Children's Society
1950s: Renamed The National Deaf Children's Society
2002: Saw the merger of NDCS and Friends for Young Deaf People, resulting in the creation of the NDCS youth wing. 

To this day, our visions and values reflect the fact that we remain essentially a parents' organisation, dedicated to the needs of all deaf children, their families and carers. We provide a seamless service supporting families with deaf children from birth to 25.


Things you should know
There are over 45,000 deaf children living in the UK.
90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents with little or no experience of deafness or knowledge of how to communicate with a deaf person.
Four babies are born deaf every day.
40% of deaf children have additional needs.
57% of deaf children failed to achieve 5 GCSEs (including English and Maths) at grades A* to C in 2013, compared to 30% of other children.
Without the right support, deaf children and young people are vulnerable to isolation, abuse, bullying, poor self-esteem and low levels of achievement.
Research suggests that more than 77% of school-aged deaf children in the UK attend mainstream schools where is no specialist provision and in which they may be the only deaf child enrolled.
Deafness is not a learning disability. There is no reason why the majority of deaf children should achieve any less than hearing children.
Deaf children need to be able to communicate effectively, access information and influence the world around them by any appropriate method whether through sign language, oral communication or a combination of approaches.