Local HEARING community helps save deaf centre.

Perhaps time the deaf community realised they can no longer survive on Local Authority hand-outs ? A great community-led endeavour indeed. LOCAL people have rallied to save Camborne's Cornwall Deaf Centre which was on the verge of closure.

The building in East Charles Street provides social and educational activities for the profoundly deaf and the hard of hearing of all ages. But recently bosses were advised to close after an independent report condemned the electrics and highlighted problems with the roof.

But this week the smiles returned with news that local tradespeople have moved in to make repairs free of charge. Garrie Thomas, who works for Coastline Housing and is a member of the centre's management committee, said: "We had a letter that told us all the work that needed doing, and that basically condemned the building.

"We applied to BBC TV's DIY SOS to see if they could help. Then last week we were having coffee at (secretary) Jackie Gainey's house and we still hadn't heard back.

"So I suggested we did it ourselves – a sort of DIY Deaf-SOS." Next day, Mr Thomas e-mailed all his trade contacts from Coastline Housing and sat back and waited. He said: "We had a fantastic response, much greater than we expected and it's snowballed since then. We believe if DIY SOS can do a project like this in a week, then DIY Deaf-OS can do it in a month."

Committee member Kate Ballard-King said: "The kindness of strangers has been amazing and heart-touching. We have had builders, roofers, gardeners and apprentices coming forward to offer us their help completely free of charge." Cornwall Deaf Centre opened on March 25, 1989, and has provided a meeting place ever since. Profoundly deaf Wendy Meagor, speaking through an interpreter, said: "I love coming here for the company and the support.

"Without it, I would be at home on my own, feeling isolated. It's amazing that we are going to be able to stay open." Barry Curtis was one of the founders. He lived for a while in Nottingham, where there was a thriving centre for the deaf. He realised the deaf community in Cornwall deserved something similar and helped raise the money to buy the building more than 20 years ago. He said: "We used to have an annual grant from Cornwall Council, that was our main source – that and our own fundraising. We've been putting off maintenance jobs and now after all these years, things have caught up with us.

"The centre could have closed. I feel relieved and happy that all these people have come forward to help us. I want to say thank you to all the people who responded to our cry for help." Cornwall Deaf Centre is due to reopen in four weeks, in time for a Hallowe'en party for deaf children. Among those who have come forward to help are R Kellow Builders, DR Building Materials, MacSalvors, Prestige Signs, Cornwall Wood Services, Penventon Hotel and Trevaskis Farm.