Introducing Our New General Manager Caroline Howsley

We are excited to introduce our new General Manager, Caroline Howsley. Caroline has lots of experience working with charities and community groups.

Caroline’s Story

When Caroline was 10 years old, she went to bed in her favourite pyjamas but woke up in the middle of the night in terrible pain. Both her eardrums ruptured, and due to recurring infections, her eardrums didn’t recover for many years.

Caroline was deaf for 8years. She stayed at mainstream school and developed ways to cope with her deafness. She learnt to navigate the world by becoming very observant and feeling the vibration of sound rather than the noise itself, much like Dame Evelyn Glennie the musician. Caroline’s primary church school insisted that all pupils played an instrument or sang in the choir. Caroline chose to ring the church bells because you had to count to 6 and could watch for your turn with the other bell-ringers – no musical talent required!

By the age of 18 Caroline regained some of her hearing, as her left ear drum started to heal. Her school and college years were difficult but she had understanding friends and learnt finger spelling, in case there was something she couldn’t understand.

As an adult Caroline is now hard of hearing, with ‘average’ hearing in her left ear and virtually nothing in her right ear.

To get to know the d/Deaf community in Cumbria, she will be going out and hosting coffee mornings to meet people face to face. Caroline doesn’t sign but with Karen and Greer to teach her, we’re sure she will learn the basics very soon.