A NORTH Wales health board has been shortlisted for a prestigious award for the work it does to make its services accessible to people with hearing loss.

The Action on Hearing Loss Cymru Excellence Awards recognise businesses and organisations that go above and beyond to support the 575,000 people in Wales who have varying degrees of hearing loss.

The shortlist is made up of nine organisations across Wales and includes health boards, emergency services, councils and charities.

All shortlisted entries will be judged by a panel of people who are deaf or have hearing loss, and the awards will be presented to the country’s most outstanding organisations at a ceremony at St David’s Hotel, Cardiff Bay, on May 17.

ITV Wales correspondent, Carole Green, will be hosting the awards, while AOHL volunteers, donors and previous award winners will also be in attendance. Western Power Distribution, winners of last year’s overall Excellence in Service award, will be supporting this year’s event.

A special award will also be presented to an organisation in Wales which is taking positive steps to improve and develop their services for people who are deaf or have hearing loss. The People’s Choice award will be voted for by the public and awarded to an organisation which provides outstanding assistance to those with hearing loss.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is up against art charity Artes Mundi in Cardiff, Aneurin Bevan Health Board in South East Wales, Conwy Council, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, IKEA Cardiff and South Wales, Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust, Willis Construction in Cardiff and Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board in Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Daisy Cole, director for Wales Action on Hearing Loss, said: “We’ve received an outstanding collection of entries for this year’s awards and I know the judging panel will have a very difficult decision ahead of them. Every year it’s amazing to see the changes organisations are making to ensure services and workspaces are accessible to all.

"Seventeen per cent of Wales’ population is deaf or hard of hearing so these changes really are essential and will hopefully inspire other organisations and businesses to follow suit and adapt their services and workspaces accordingly.

"We launched the Excellence Awards five years ago and since then have presented awards to over 20 Welsh companies that go above and beyond to support those who are deaf or have hearing loss.”

The People’s choice award will be determined by the general public. To cast your vote, visit: www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk/about-us/our-work-across-the-uk/wales/the-excellence-wales-awards/