A CHARITY with a history of more than 90 years helping the deaf and wider community in St Helens is determined to continue its work into the future in spite of the difficulties of the coronavirus pandemic.
The St Helens & District Society for Deaf People, now based at the Deafness Resource Centre on Dentons Green Lane, has been described as a "hidden gem" of St Helens.
The society began in 1928 formed thanks to the local church, with its first chairman Reverend J.W Glendenning. The charity was originally based at the former YMCA building in St Helens.
Members at an annual tea party in the 1930s
Its premises since have included on Church Street, on Duke Street at what is now a dentists before rehousing at its premises on Dentons Green Lane in the late 1950s, along with the creation of the Lady Pilkington Chapel.
Sir Harry Pilkington laid the foundation stone at the current building in 1957.
The charity has provided ab invaluable service for the deaf community in the town and to this day continues this mission, with its reach also including Knowsley and Halton.
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Chief officer Helen Fitzgerald said: "It was built for the purpose of providing everything for the deaf community, including churches, weddings, funerals.
"Everything was provided for them here. It really was the foundation of their lives for everybody who grew up here.
"The deaf community has changed for the good and they are much more integrated with wider society now.
"Things have changed over the years and we have had to think about how to keep the building going. The bottom line has always been, it's more than just a building, and so in order to do this we have tried to generate as much income as we can.
"It is like a community centre here."
Members in the 1990s
Users of the facilities have included Gamblers Anonymous, Keep Fit groups, self-help groups and many others with the hall and other facilities for hire.
The centre also has an advocacy service proving invaluable help for deaf people in the community and an interpreting service for British Sign Language (BSL).
However, the coronavirus lockdown meant that the charity's income has dried up overnight and the society is determined to keep going and ensure the service survives the difficult period.
The organisation has benefited from some some generous grants, including two sums of £10,000 from the Steve Morgan Foundation, but is facing difficulty, with it costing around £400,000 a year for the service to keep going.
Helen Fitzgerald
"At the end of the day the charity is here for the deaf community, that's how it has evolved," added Helen.
"We had to close from March due to the lockdown, we had no groups coming in so no income.
Helen added: "I am passionate about the voluntary sector, I have worked in it for more than 30 years. We have got high suicide rates in St Helens and we have got high mental health. If the voluntary sector wasn't there, I couldn't even think about what the situation would be like.
"What the sector does is the preventative work, the self-help groups, the therapies. It is so important and that is what drives me to continue the centre.
"The reward is we are making a difference. We want the centre back to being that buzzing place that can help the community."
The hall at the centre
Trustee at the charity, Peter Harvey said: "This is a hidden gem of St Helens.
"There is lots of history to this building, this place is still a community centre and has still got the capacity and people want to come and use the place."
- See deafnessresourcecentre.org for more.
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