In this issue:

40th Birthday New Website Diary Dates Sky Dive Heroes Toddler Group AGM News Youth Group 20 Prize Competition Key contacts

WOW!
Our 40th Birthday Party Is A New High For Our Society
The Peterborough and District Deaf Childrens Society enjoyed its best ever attendance at an event when we celebrated our 40th Birthday Party in February. Nearly 200 people turned out including the Mayor and MP Stewart Jackson to celebrate and honour some of the societys loyal and longest serving members. The Stars President John Cheetham, former Chairperson Sheila Lever and founder of the society 40 years ago, Betty Hay all received special awards for their service. Current Chairperson of the society, Nicola Epathite gave a speech to the crowd in the busy exhibition hall. Many exhibitors attended including some major national and international organisations and many local organisations too including the Lions, Police, Fire and audiology. Olli the Monkey For the children there were lots to get involved in. The highlight was the Olli the Monkey Show which had two performances as well as clay work, jewellery making clases, dance and cookery groups. The NDCS Listening Bus also made a visit to show off the latest technology available for deaf children. Great Day Chairperson Nicola Epathite said: It was a great day with so many people here having a good time. It was interesting to meet so many people who are now grown up and
Above: Chairperson Nicola Epathite and volunteer Chyanne Golding. Below: Mayor Councillor Keith Sharpe

were former members and talk about how well the society has done over the years. Thanks The exhibition was a real success with plenty of people to see and information available. The disco and raffle afterwards were successful too. I just want to thank everyone who helped make the day so good, especially all the young deaf people who got involved.

Olli the Monkey and member Chloe Peacock

Weve got our website back with all the latest information and news from PDDCS! J u s t g o t o www.pddcs.co.uk and take a look. You can leave comments on any story and see what events we have coming up. The website was relaunched after being offline for a few years and soon began getting hits. Since November there have

been over 2,000 hits on the site looking at a range of information from news from NDCS, news from the deaf community and to information on our events. So far, visitors to the site have come from 16 countries including India, Russia and Australia! Secretary Andy Palmer said: Its going well but we want feedback so if you

have any ideas for the site, get in touch. We will soon be adding a fundraising page and information about the society including our committee meeting minutes. Please email Andy Palmer if you have any ideas for t h e s i t e .
andypalmer177@hotmail.com.

Its the AGM in May, weve compiled a quick guide to let you know what its all about.. What is an AGM? The AGM stands for Annual General Meeting and is the place when the society can report on what has gone on in the previous year and some of the plans for the year ahead. It is also the time that members can join the committee and get involved in putting our plans into practice as well as electing the officers of the society, such as the secretary and chairperson. Why should you go? Its a good opportunity to meet up and get involved. You may even want to come on and join the committee or lend a hand as a volunteer at some of our events. Its also a chance to have your say about what sort of things you think the society could be doing in future When and where is it? At the Cherry Tree Pub in Peterborough on May 9th at 6.30pm. Hopefully see you there! If you would like to come, please let us know by e m a i l t o Peterborough@ndcsgrou ps.org.uk or by text on 07806 429547. BSL Interpretation is provided.

who has been a member of PDDCS since childhood and is a self confessed thrillseeker. Chris Majid has been a volunteer and with the PDDCS since 2004 when he was spotted wearing a hearing aid working in a trendy Peterborough clothes shop and was asked to come on board. He has helped out at various events every year since. PDDCS are now listed as an official charity on Skydive Sibsons website so that any aspiring skydiver can nominate PDDCS as their charity of choice. Deaf Daredevils Charlene Spires and Chris Majid are set to jump out of a plane at 13,000 feet to raise money for the society! Volunteer Chris and Committe member Charlene are booked on a skydive on June 18th at Sibson Airfield near Peterborough and everyone is welcome to come and watch their bravery in action. We hope there will be a good crowd there to congratulate them when its all over! The jump, which could raise thousands, is the idea of Charlene Spires Why not visit www.skydivesibson.co.uk sign yourself up and help raise some money? If you would like to sponsor Chris or Charlene, more information can be found at www.pddcs.co.uk and click on fundraising.

PDDCS Youth Group

MEPAL 26th - 27th February 2011

IM DEAF AND PROUD

Cambridge and Peterborough Deaf Youth Groups got together for a weekend to go to a residential place called Mepal near Cambridge. We all went at 8am in the morning met at The Cresset in Bretton, off we went on the minibus that we borrowed from The Lions Club. We were signing all of the journey down to Mepal. Finally we arrived, brought all smiles, met up with Sarah (the leader for the Cambridge Youth Group). We all settled in the lounge, along came the Cambridge teenagers, all of us got on very well. Shortly after that we got introduced to the residential leaders. We got told our room buddies, we then followed the leaders to our bedrooms, they all had four beds with a sink and a storage shelf for our bags. We had to change to our shoes for outdoor activities for after our break. We then went to the cafe downstairs to meet the rest of the Cambridge people. We got split up into two groups. We all did many different activities such as, rifling shooting, archery, mapping skills, trampolining, fencing, team building, orienteering, rock climbing and many more. One short weekend one great adventure! DT club

d anne d. s an Chy m lant s ol Ia ar ber mp 16 ye chlear i ptem e Se I am co sinc ve 2 em I ha d th have e ha hav L I S . se B d! 2010 k and u Prou ea d I sp l 2. f an leve Dea Im BSL

Who ding. Gol

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Every Thursday in term time at Marshfields School Dogsthorpe. We have been making keyrings and photo frames . Helping us to raise money.

R U Deaf aged 11-18?

Want to join Deaf Youth Group? Text or email Nicola on 0780429547 or peterborough@ndcsgroup.org.uk

What are we doing next???

18th June Skydive at Sibson Airfield 9th July Summer Funday at Ferry Meadows 16th July Summer trip to Drayton Manor Park

SKYDIVING 18th June 2011 12pm

Members of PDDCS are doing a skydive this summer to raise money to fund activities for the Local Deaf Childrens Society! It is at Sibson Airfield, Nr Wansford, Peterborough PE8 6NE. Visit www.skydivesibson.co.uk to take a look! If you want to sponsor contact Chair, Nicola on 0780429547 text/phone or email on peterborough@ndcsgroup.org.uk. COME AND JOIN US ON THE DAY TO WATCH THEM THROW THEMSELVES OUT OF A PLANE!!

Toddler group goes from strength to strength with new t o d dl e rs c o mi n g along almost every week to play while the parents or carers can meet up and have a cup of tea! The toddler group is held at the Jigsaw centre in Orton M a l b o r n e , Peterborough and run by committee member, parent and volunteer Liz Monaf. Liz has been running the toddler group for four years now and says its going well. The toddler group is a great way to meet other parents with a child who has a hearing loss and have a cuppa and a biscuit! Liz said.

We try to make Toddler Group beneficial for the childen with a wide variety of activities, toys and games that are fun but also are designed to help youngsters make the most of their hearing but the main idea is for the children to play in a safe and understanding environment . Also, staff from Peterborough Audiology attend to take ear mould impressions so save on trips to the hospital..very handy! Toddler Group is held fortnightly at the Jigsaw Centre in Orton Malborne Peterborough. Contact Liz on 07956 964666 or email Peterborough@ndcsgroup s.org.uk

Are you a budding inventor? Do you think you have wacky ideas? Well if you are - here is your chance to win 20 in our competition. We are looking to seeing your best ideas of a new invention for children that are deaf or have a hearing loss. There are lots of gadgets out there already, like shaking alarm clocks and loops but what is next! Its up to you! Send us your ideas, with a drawing, for your invention and the best idea will win 20 and be published in the next edition of Hi-Five. Entries have to be in by the 31st May 2011.

Please send your invention ideas to andypalmer177@hotmail .com or post to: Hi-five, 65 Linnet, Orton Wistow, Peterborough. The competition is open to deaf children or young people and their siblings under the age of 21. The winning entry will be chosen by the committee at the June meeting and the prize will be paid by cheque.

Dates for your diary

April
21st Toddler Group

Please get in touch with the Peterborough and District Deaf Childrens Society. For over 11's and youth, call or text our Chairperson Nicola on 07806 42954 For under 11's and our events call or text Dean on 07977 409611 For Toddlers call or text Liz on 07956 964666 For Press Enquiries or for more information on our

newsletter or fundraising, contact Andy Palmer on 07949 571173. The general email address for the society is peterborough@ndcsgrou ps.org.uk Charity registration no. 1053815 Copyright Peterborough and District Deaf Childrens Society 2011

May
5th, 19th Toddler Group

June
18th Skydive at Sibson

July
9th Summer Funday at Ferry Meadows 16th Trip to Drayton Manor
Pen them in you diary now!!