Today I am going to enthral/bore you with another anecdote from the International Hearing Loop Conference organised by Hearing Link and held at Eastbourne in October 2013.
One Hearing Link member who is a keen cinema-goer made contact with me before that conference. Her enjoyment of the cinema was greatly hindered by her defective hearing and she wanted to improve matters. She is Agnus Cinephile of Angus. We met at the conference.
She knew about the website called www.yourlocalcinema.com and in fact she was better informed about it than I was. This is a truly inspirational website devised and run by Derek Brandon. This website gives information about many cinemas in the UK on their suitability for people with sensory problems. It lists cinemas where audio description (AD) is provided. It also tells of cinemas that have subtitling on their shows. In fact I receive a weekly email from Derek telling me of subtitled screenings. Although I don't go to cinemas these days this service is very impressive.
I had the feeling that www.yourlocalcinema.com also provided information about cinemas offering induction loops or infra-red systems. I think Agnus also had this view. Anyway, we are both mistaken. This information is not yet provided and I think you can hear in that last clause a suggestion that you, dear reader, or even inexpensive reader, make contact with Derek of the website and suggest that this happen.
It would help your plea if you indicate that you would assist Derek in this work as he surely is overburdened. It would also be helpful if you could encourage Hearing Link to enter this area. I have been told that Hearing Link is not a campaigning organisation but the boundaries between campaigning and seeking information are somewhat blurred, I feel. I'd be glad to hear how Agnus is getting on with her campaigns in Scotland concerning induction loops.
