Our History

Charity registered with Charity Commissioners in January 1971 – First two full-time workers appointed

First use of adapted teleprinter-telephones

First Phonetype system TTY (textphone) call in the UK between Andrew Kenyon and David Hyslop (Trustee and staff member)

First centre opened in Birmingham

London centre established

Name was changed from ‘Breakthough Trust Deaf-Hearing Group’ to ‘Breakthough Trust Deaf-Hearing Integration’

Opening of office in Farnborough

Mobile Advisory Service (MAS) launched

David Hyslop awarded OBE for his work with Breakthrough

Name changed to deafPLUS

National Office moves to Whitechapel, London

Service and office in Bath, Somerset launched

VisionPLUS: service for Visually Impaired people launched

deafPLUS celebrates 40th anniversary

National BSL video Advice Line launched

Merged with Deaf Access. Bromley centre opened.

deafPLUS’ BSL Advice Helpline wins a national award by the Helplines Partnership for the ‘Best use of innovative technology’