Stories
View the stories and statistics that have been told during the Let’s Be Clear campaign so far.
![1A](https://www.letsbeclearcampaign.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/1A-1024x1024.jpg)
“I struggle to hear people as I’m partially deaf and wearing hearing aids. Not seeing people’s mouths makes it more difficult.”
– Mandy, Gloucestershire
![1B](https://www.letsbeclearcampaign.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/1B-1024x1024.jpg)
The use of face masks is the 3rd biggest challenge faced by people who are deaf or living with hearing loss in the UK, according to a recent survey.
– Sign Health
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“I have autism and so it takes me a few seconds to actually hear and understand people. This is much harder when they’re wearing a mask.”
![2B](https://www.letsbeclearcampaign.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2B-1024x1024.jpg)
“I also find it very difficult understanding people’s facial expressions and usually rely on their mouth (to look for a smile), which is now impossible.”
– Nicole, Gloucestershire
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About 1 person in 100 is on the autism spectrum, which equates to 8,500 people in Gloucestershire, including 1, 200 children.
– Gloucestershire Autism Support
![3A](https://www.letsbeclearcampaign.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/3A-1024x1024.jpg)
“I had an auditory processing problem (invisible to most people) and rely extensively on lip reading. I find masks a significant barrier to communication …”
![3B](https://www.letsbeclearcampaign.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/3B-1024x1024.jpg)
“… I also find they exclude the parts of the face required to read emotion and therefore make context and early emotional signals more difficult to understand.”
– Gloucestershire resident
![4B Quote. My physical disability means that I don't speak as clearly as other people. People struggle to understand me and ask me to repeat myself a lot more when they can't see my mouth.](https://www.letsbeclearcampaign.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/4B-1024x1024.jpg)
“My physical disability means that I don’t speak as clearly as other people. People struggle to understand me and ask me to repeat myself a lot more when the can’t see my mouth…”
![4A Quote. This makes me feel more disabled and conscious of my speech in public. From Vicci in Gloucestershire](https://www.letsbeclearcampaign.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/4A-1024x1024.jpg)
“… This makes me feel more disabled and conscious of my speech in public.”
– Vicci, Gloucestershire
![4C](https://www.letsbeclearcampaign.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/4C-1024x1024.jpg)
In the Our Changing World report, isolation was identified as a key challenge for disabled people and people with mental health challenges in Gloucestershire during lockdown.
– Barnwood Trust
![Living in a largely masked community is like being in a country where you can’t understand the language Image with quote, Living in a largely masked community is like being in a country where you can't understand the language](https://www.letsbeclearcampaign.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/5A-1024x1024.jpg)
“Living in a largely masked community is like being in a country where you can’t understand the language.”
– Sarah R, Gloucestershire
![Statistic. There are 4.2 million people in the UK who use a main language other than English. From the Office of National statistics Statistic. There are 4.2 million people in the UK who use a main language other than English. From the Office of National statistics](https://www.letsbeclearcampaign.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/5B-1024x1024.jpg)
There are 4.2 million people in the UK who use a main language other than English.
– Office for National Statistics
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“I’ve had difficulties understanding people with a mask on, and them me, so much of how we communicate is through lip reading, I didn’t realise!”
– Sarah H, Gloucestershire
![6B](https://www.letsbeclearcampaign.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/6B-1024x1024.jpg)
1 in 6 people live with some level of hearing loss, and most of these people rely on facial expressions and lip reading to communicate.
– Gloucestershire Deaf Association
![9A](https://www.letsbeclearcampaign.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/9A-1024x1024.jpg)
“I’m frustrated, as I cannot communicate with my granny who relies on sign language and lip reading and she can’t read lips with masks…”
![9B](https://www.letsbeclearcampaign.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/9B-1024x1024.jpg)
“… She has felt so alone, my granny refuses to leave the house and it’s so damaging to see her struggle so much and be so isolated and alone with covid.”
– Rhona, Gloucestershire
![9C](https://www.letsbeclearcampaign.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/9C-1024x1024.jpg)
In a recent survey of older people in Gloucestershire, 33% reported feeling isolated and just over half said their enjoyment of life has decreased during the pandemic.
– Age UK Gloucestershire