Lady and Gentleman appointed at Deafness Research UK
6 July 2010
It's not often you can say a lady is in fact a Gentleman (!), however national charity Deafness Research UK has announced a new recruit to the ranks who is indeed both. She is Sarah Gentleman, who as a seasoned communications professional joins the charity in the fight to promote and advance awareness of deafness and related conditions – and how Deafness Research UK can offer hope of treatments and cures.
As the charity’s new information and communications manager, Sarah is charged with ensuring the smooth running of the charity’s information, marketing and communications strategy. This includes devising and delivering information to the charity’s wide range of audiences and stakeholders, from researchers, to supporters, donors and the deaf community. One of Sarah’s first tasks will be to review the charitiy’s communications and information strategy. This is a broad brief that includes everything from advertising, events and public relations, to the communications opportunities presented by community outreach projects like the innovative Bionic Ear show - and how these could further benefit the charity and its beneficiaries in the future. One of the principal objectives of this new role is to further raise the profile of the charity to support much needed fundraising and awareness campaigns that will enable future deafness research.
“I am delighted to be joining a national charity like Deafness Research UK”, said Sarah, commenting on her appointment. “Deafness Research UK plays a pivotal role in the lives of so many people and undertakes such vital and unique research that I am looking forward to playing my part in helping put the charity at the forefront of people’s minds.”
A double university graduate, Sarah’s outstanding academic record is backed up by several years working in communications - for the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College London, where she was the website content manager, at the Local Government Association as communications support officer and in her most recent role as communications officer for the Research Information Network (RIN).
Vivienne Michael, Chief Executive of Deafness Research UK, said: “We are all thrilled to welcome Sarah on board as part of the team. Our Information Service provides invaluable support and information for those desperate for information and advice to help them better understand their condition and learn more about treatments and potential cures. The charity’s communications department is the public face of Deafness Research UK – from our website to our annual report and engaging with the media, and Sarah’s past experience will be invaluable in ensuring we continue to deliver a first class service to those who rely on us so much, for information, help and guidance.”
Sarah has also held posts as a managing editor for The Royal College of Pathologists and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, so she is no stranger to deadlines and her familiarity with putting together online and print publications will be a real asset to Deafness Research UK’s output.
“It’s an exciting time to be joining Deafness Research UK,” added Sarah. Great work is already being done to improve our knowledge of hearing loss, advance hearing aid technology and enhance cochlear implants, while our new Auditory Centres of Excellence (ACE) look set to offer genuine hope of major breakthroughs in our lifetime. I’m really looking forward to helping spread the word.”
The Deafness Research UK Information Service can be e-mailed on
If you prefer, you can download free factsheets and leaflets from the Deafness Research UK website at www.deafnessresearch.org.uk or call the FREEPHONE number on 0808 808 2222.
ENDS
Notes to editors
Auditory Centres of Excellence
The charity’s Auditory Centres of Excellence (ACE) initiative builds on the success of its UCL Ear Institute appeal which raised over £1 million for the London centre, and will expand hearing research teams at four more state-of-the-art research centres across the country – in Cambridge, Manchester, Nottingham and Sheffield. Each ACE will be tackling the challenge of understanding and treating deafness and hearing impairment in different ways but, as at the Ear Institute, the focus will be on stimulating the multi-disciplinary, collaborative approach that is so important to making progress in hearing research and on delivering real clinical benefit to hearing impaired people. The programme will advance research into childhood deafness, improving hearing aids and cochlear implants, treating tinnitus and preventing hearing loss and restoring hearing.
About Deafness Research UK
- Deafness Research UK is the country’s only charity dedicated to finding new cures, treatments and technologies for deaf, hard of hearing and other hearing impaired people.
- The charity supports high quality medical research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of all forms of hearing impairment including tinnitus.
- The Deafness Research UK Information Service provides free information and advice based on the latest scientific evidence and informed by leading experts. The Information Service can be contacted on Freephone 0808 808 2222
- For more information on research into deafness, tinnitus and other hearing conditions, log on to the website at www.deafnessresearch.org.uk where you can access a wide range of information. Alternatively you can e-mail Deafness Research UK at
- One in seven people in the UK – almost nine million people - suffer hearing loss.
- Deafness Research UK was founded in 1985 by Lord (Jack) and Lady Ashley of Stoke.
- In January 2008, Action for Tinnitus Research (ATR) was linked with Deafness Research UK under a uniting direction order under section 96(6) of the Charities Act 1993.
Press enquiries
Jon Gardner, www.BeyondPR.co.uk
Mobile 07930 697773. Direct line 0114 275 6996. e-mail:
Ref: DRUK0275 – Sarah Gentleman appointment
www.deafnessresearch.org.uk
