Cheshire woman’s festive costume marathon for deaf children

Northwich resident and Handforth Post Office Manager Marsha Johnson has challenged herself to wear a different festive costume every day in December to raise money for the National Deaf Children’s Society for the second year running.

Regular customers to Handforth Post Office will be able to witness Marsha and her co-workers’ festive costume marathon throughout December. They can also make donations to the charity, which supports the UK’s 50,000 deaf children and their families.

Marsha was inspired to support the National Deaf Children’s Society by her son Logan, who was born with severe to profound bilateral deafness and uses hearing aids. The family has been receiving ongoing support from the charity ever since Logan was born.

Marsha’s fundraising effort is already paying off and, thanks to the generosity of customers, friends and family, she has already raised £385, smashing both her current target and the £300 she raised last year.

Marsha, 33, lives in Northwich with husband Mike, 36, a senior manufacturing lab technician, who is also deaf, and son Logan, 5.

Marsha commented:

“I’ve turned myself into a human advent calendar! Wearing a new costume each day is challenging but tremendous fun. It’s my way of saying thank you to the National Deaf Children’s Society for all the support they have given my family over the years.

“Logan has just started at school and is doing well. I wanted to support the National Deaf Children’s Society as I’m aware of the challenges deaf children face. Without their help I wouldn’t have known about the amazing technology which improves my son’s life on a daily basis.”

Claire Lubbock, of the National Deaf Children’s Society’s fundraising team, said:

“I want to say a huge thank you to Marsha for a really original and eye-catching fundraising idea and helping us give deaf children like little Logan the best possible start in life.

“Not only has Marsha raised much-needed funds for us, but she’s also helped raise a bit of deaf awareness among her customers. It’s because of people like Marsha that we are able to keep on doing what we do, supporting the 50,000 deaf children and their families across the UK, now and into the future.”

Supporters wishing to donate can do so in person at Handforth Post Office or via Marsha’s fundraising web page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/marsha-johnson2

• There are over 50,000 deaf children in the UK, with 239 in Cheshire West and Chester and 243 in Cheshire East.

The National Deaf Children’s Society

• The National Deaf Children’s Society is the leading charity dedicated to creating a world without barriers for deaf children and their families.
• Three babies are born deaf in the UK every day.
• There are more than 50,000 deaf children in the UK. We help them thrive by providing impartial, practical and emotional support, and by challenging governments and society to meet their needs.
• For more information on our work please, visit www.ndcs.org.uk.
• For further support, parents, deaf children and deaf young people can contact us via our Helpline on 0808 800 8880 (voice and text), on InterpreterNow (interpreternow.co.uk/ndcs), by email helpline@ndcs.org.uk or through online chat at www.ndcs.org.uk/livechat.

Pictured - Northwich resident and Handforth Post Office Manager, Marsha Johnson.