Volunteer Gabrielle Nagle. Photo: Rhiannon Bury

A ‘listening’ bus for deaf children visited a learning centre in Tower Hamlets this week, providing a place for parents to go for information and assistance.

The National Deaf Children’s Society is taking the bus on a national tour, and will be in London until the end of January. It is the UK’s only touring information centre for deaf children and deaf young people.

Visitors can see the latest communication technology, including text phones, alarm clocks with a vibrating pad to put under a pillow, flashing doorbells and visual pagers. All of the equipment is available for a free monthly trial.

Gabrielle Nagle, a member of the bus team, said: “We try and reach everyone with these visits; sometimes it can be really busy.

“We talk to primary school children, older children and parents. We’re here to support people in their everyday lives and we’re always updating the technology that we carry.”

Fatima Begum, a mother from Stepney, came to the bus to find out about the gadgets that could benefit her two daughters, both of whom are hearing impaired.

“I’ve come to a Listening Bus before, it’s so useful to be able to see all the things and then try them out.

“It’s great to have some support when you have children who are deaf – they’ll even help recommend schools and teachers who are good with deaf children.”

In the ten years since it launched, the Listening Bus has travelled over 160,000 miles.