What is the BDS?

Welcome to Bolton Deaf Society. We are a non-profit charity, supporting the Deaf and Hard of Hearing people in the community. Our Centre has been here on Bark Street for over 40 years. The Centre is well known within the Deaf Community as we provide social events for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing on a weekly basis. Possibly what is not very well known, is the fact that we have a chapel within our building, where signed services are held on the first Tuesday of every month. As our chapel is part of the Diocese of Manchester, we can accommodate private services such as christenings or funerals.

We have a first floor function room and staffed bar, that can accommodate up to 100 guests, which can be hired out for most occasions, also kitchen facilities are available.

Feel free to look around our site, if there are things you would like to know more about, then please contact us, we will be more than happy to help.

Bolton Deaf Society is a Hate Crime Reporting Centre, working closely with Bolton Council and the Greater Manchester Police, to reduce the amount of hate crime in our local area.

We are part of a wide network of professionals that can help with a variety of needs, so if we are unable to help here at the Centre, we can sign post you to someone that can.

Our Aim is to support, promote, empower and protect the interests of the Deaf & Hard of Hearing, with a view to enhancing the quality of their lives and independence

More than 800,000 people in the UK are severely or profoundly deaf

There are more than 10 million people in the UK with some form of hearing loss.

About one in ten adults in the UK have mild tinnitus and up to 1% have tinnitus that affects their quality of life.

On average it takes ten years for people to address their hearing loss.

There are approximately 356,000 people with combined visual and hearing impairment in the UK.

There are more than 45,000 deaf children in the UK, plus many more who experience temporary hearing loss.

There are more than 10 million people in the UK with some form of hearing loss, or one in six of the population.

From the total 3.7 million are of working age (16 – 64) and 6.3 million are of retirement age (65+)

By 2031, it is estimated that there will be 14.5 million people with hearing loss in the UK

More than 800,000 people in the UK are severely or profoundly deaf

There are more than 45,000 deaf children in the UK, plus many more who experience temporary hearing loss

More than 70% of over 70 year-olds and 40% of over 50 year-olds have some form of hearing loss

There are approximately 356,000 people with combined visual and hearing impairment in the UK

About two million people in the UK have hearing aids, but only 1.4 million use them regularly

At least four million people who don't have hearing aids would benefit from using them

On average it takes ten years for people to address their hearing loss

About one in ten adults in the UK have mild tinnitus and up to 1% have tinnitus that affects their quality of life

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