Victoria Prentis visits Auditory Verbal UK’s Bicester centre

Mudit Matanhelia, from Oxford, met North Oxfordshire MP Victoria Prentis on Friday (December 16) at Auditory Verbal UK’s Bicester centre.

The charity supports deaf babies and children to learn to listen and speak and is the only one in the UK which provides the early intervention family-centred programme called Auditory Verbal therapy. 

Mr Matanhelia’s four-year-old son Josh and three-year-old daughter Zoe were both diagnosed with hearing loss at their newborn hearing screenings and wear hearing aids.

Both children have benefited from the AVUK programme, with Josh’s language skills on par with his hearing friends and Zoe’s speech blossoming.

Josh's first day at school (Image: GOV)

Mr Matanhelia said: “Josh and Zoe are both confident and chatty young children.

"It was a privilege to tell our story to Victoria Prentis, and explain the amazing support AVUK has given not only to our children, but to our whole family.”

Victoria Prentis MP said: “I was delighted to visit Auditory Verbal UK in Chesterton to learn more about their fantastic work supporting deaf children.

"I met chief executive Anita Grover, who gave me a tour of their brilliant centre.

“I was particularly pleased to meet Mudit, a local father of two deaf children. Mudit told me that his children's lives have been transformed by specialist Auditory Verbal therapy, which has supported them to learn to listen and speak.

“It is great to see such life-changing therapy on offer in the heart of North Oxfordshire.”

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This story was written by Sophie Perry. She joined the team in 2021 as a digital reporter.

You can get in touch with her by emailing: sophie.perry@newsquest.co.uk

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