THE Coleford Deaf and hard of Hearing Club would love to see more new members and feels many may not know of their existence for a variety of reasons.

Chief among these is the recent loss of many committee members who have fallen ill or become too old or infirm to serve, says a spokesman, who adds that volunteers with good hearing are always useful to the group.

The club was started 17 years ago for people with varying degrees of deafness, from mild to profound and absolute.

"It provides a place where people mix with others who suffer similar loss and therefore are patient and understanding when you mis-hear a sentence," said Gwen Nash.

"The club is a channel for the lip-reading class which is now being run by our founder, Mrs Kathy Hopkins, who is a superb teacher of a difficult subject."

The group meets on Monday mornings, with the exception of the first Monday in the month and Bank Holidays, in the Catholic Church Hall in Coleford. They are entertained by speakers covering a variety of topics, and outings and meals out are also enjoyed when funds allow.

"All this is extremely important as one can feel very isolated when suffering from hearing loss, especially if living alone," said Gwen, who added a warm welcome awaited any new members who came along to meetings.