CDA Hearing Help Befriending Scheme and Sing & Socialise

What to expect

Cambridgeshire Deaf Association's (CDA) Hearing Help Befriending Scheme offers friendly support for older adults with hearing loss. Hearing loss can affect more than just your ears — it can impact your confidence, independence, and connection to others.

Alongside one-to-one befriending (matching you with a friendly, trained volunteer who understands the challenges of hearing loss for a regular chat over the phone, a walk together, or simply a visit for a cuppa), in Cambridge there's a 'Sing & Socialise' group that meets in Romsey. This is a friendly, hearing-loss inclusive session of music, memory and connection. Whether you want to sing along, tap your feet, or just enjoy the tunes, the group sings well-known songs from across the decades with large-print lyric sheets and time for tea & cake.

To find out when CDA activities and groups meet, click on this link or contact Marika via email or by calling the phone number provided. Sing & Socialise is held for two hours but you don't need to stay the whole time if you don’t want to. Sessions are delivered by experienced staff at CDA alongside friendly volunteers and there is no need to book in advance. If you are feeling nervous about going for the first time, you can contact Marika via email or telephone and ask any questions beforehand. Carers/friends are also welcome to join sessions.

There's more information about one-to-one befriending and a form to complete on this link.

More information

Refreshments are included. You don’t need to be profoundly deaf or to have a befriender to attend sessions, most of the people CDA support use hearing aids or lip read and communicate in spoken English.

Venues are wheelchair accessible and have disabled toilets.

If you want to get involved and support others, CDA is always looking for warm, understanding volunteers who can give just a little of their time each month to support someone nearby.

Attending Sing & Socialise is free but donations are welcome. The Befriending Scheme is also free.