Music will help those who cannot hear it

The Wellington Deaf Society urgently needs new premises, and 51 American Barber Shop singers will help to raise the $200,000 needed to buy them.

The society has $80,000 saved from 53 years of street appeals, but Noel Ramsey, a volunteer worker, says their situation forced them to call upon the District Lions Club for support for the first time.

“The result is due to good luck rather than good management. The singers had offered the Lions Club a charity concert free of charge about five minutes after I’d asked them for help, so they rang me back to ask if I was interested. Of course, I said yes.”

The society’s old Willis Street premises were sold by the landlord and all their gear has been in storage. They are operating from a small office, but Noel Ramsey says they need a building with enough space for a classroom, a games room, a conference room and office space.

“I’ve just been looking at a railways warehouse, which would also make room for playing basketball. There’s also a little extra space we could rent out to help pay maintenance costs.”

He says the only problem is raising the money to buy it by the end of the year, and he is disappointed ticket sales for the concert have been slow.

“We have asked business houses to buy tickets but firms seem very reluctant at the moment though, because the New Zealand Association for the Deaf has already asked them for donations.”

The Wellington society is completely independent, helping local deaf people at a grass roots level by offering language, cultural and sporting amenities, he says.

Anyone interested in buying a ticket to the June 15 concert at the Michael Fowler Centre should ring Noel Ramsey, 873-513, or Lin Roberts, 338-489.