24
Annual Report and Financial Statements 2015–16
Equality
In 2015–16 we spent £5.9m on influencing governments and
organisations, empowering people, and changing attitudes.
Access to entertainment and restaurants
Despite improvements in legal protection, people with deafness or hearing loss are still
disadvantaged and discriminated against. Often, it is simply a lack of awareness of how to
go about improving communication. We’re determined to make everyone more deaf aware,
by empowering individuals – and influencing governments and organisations.
Our impact
•
Our Subtitle it! campaign inspired 5,104 people to take action. They wrote to
Culture Minister, Ed Vaizey, completed the comprehensive survey that led to our
Progress on Pause report, and/or lobbied their MP to back progressive legislation.
•
Our campaign led to five major broadcasters or platforms, including Sky and BT, making
significant steps towards increasing the level of subtitles on their video on demand
content. Young campaigner, Jamie, describes below how he’s missed out.
Watching TV programmes and films is
important to me – most of all because I’m
happy and relaxed whilst watching them.
It’s fantastic when subtitles are provided
– I can understand the content and enjoy
it. But that isn’t often, especially now that
more content is ‘on demand’ on smart
TVs, tablets and mobile phones.
When the rest of my family watches a
movie, I just play on my iPad. I’m missing
out on having fun with my two little
brothers – it’s quite upsetting.
Jamie Danjoux
Newcastle upon Tyne