Deafness Research UK announces Vice President appointment

Deafness Research UK is delighted to announce that music industry legend Sir George Martin CBE has become a Vice President of the charity. Sir George’s role will be one of a non-executive ambassador, lending his name and generally supporting Deafness Research UK campaigns and marketing activity.

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 news about Sir George’s involvement with the charity was announced by Deafness Research UK’s Chief Executive, Vivienne Michael, at the launch of LISTEN. HEAR! - a new campaign designed to make people think twice about the way that they listen to music, so that what they hear today will not be gone tomorrow.

Promoted through print, online at www.hearhere.org.uk and an on air campaign on Classic FM, the campaign sets out simple suggestions for safer listening, offering guidelines on volume, protecting your hearing at gigs and concerts, listening to music ‘on-the-go’ and recommended listening time limits plus tips on maintaining ear health.

Sir George Martin said: "I think Deafness Research UK does a wonderful job in raising awareness of the present day problems associated with loud noise. I am forever telling young ones to lower the volume whenever they listen to music, and it is a message that needs to be spread far and wide."


Vivienne Michael said: "We are absolutely thrilled that Sir George has agreed to support Deafness Research UK in this way. He has supported the charity over many years, officially opening the UCL Ear Institute building (the Centre for Auditory Research) in 2006 and helping launch Deafness Research UK’s Ear Institute appeal - a programme of postgraduate studentships and research fellowships that is bringing the world’s most talented young scientists into hearing research."

The music industry legend is perhaps best known for producing The Beatles. He has worked with an astonishing array of talent – from the great classical conductors, Sir Thomas Beecham and Sir Malcolm Sargent, to the comedy of Goons Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers, as well as the eccentric Ivor Cutler. Among the many other stars he has produced are Ella Fitzgerald, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Kenny Rogers, Cher, Peter Gabriel, Jon Bon Jovi, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Sir Sean Connery and Jeff Beck. His most recent work has been the score for the Cirque du Soleil show "Love" in Las Vegas which is still running to capacity after three successful years.

Sir George suffers from progressive hearing loss and tinnitus, and wears two hearing aids. On his loss of hearing in an interview in 2001, he said: "I know a lot about it now because I have had to learn. The ear is an incredible instrument.….. it all began for me when I heard the maintenance engineer in the studio putting test tones through the machine. I listened to the various frequencies and then, suddenly I realised I could not hear the tone I could see was being recorded on the tape machine. I asked the engineer what the frequency was and he said '12Khz'. 12Khz is not a disaster, - most cinemas did not go above 8Khz, but it was a shock for me because I realised my hearing was deteriorating."

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.
ENDS


Notes to editors

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 info@deafnessresearch.org.uk
• 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.
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Ref: DR-UK0124 – New VP for DR-UK
www.deafnessresearch.org.uk