British Tinnitus Association announce new charity Ambassador

“I have a loud white noise that hisses away in my ears night & day”

The British Tinnitus Association (BTA) is proud to announce that singer-songwriter/producer James Kennedy is supporting their tinnitus prevention campaign Plug’em as Ambassador.

Plug’em is a campaign set up to raise awareness of the need to protect against tinnitus at clubs, gigs and festivals. The condition, experienced by over 7 million people in the UK alone, can have a devastating impact on people’s lives and can affect anyone of any age.

James told us:

“I was so pleased to be asked to help raise awareness of tinnitus by becoming a Plug’em Ambassador. It’s a condition I’ve had since I was a child. Mine was not caused by loud music, but I’m really behind the message to protect against tinnitus when listening to music. As a performing artist I know how loud music can get at an event, and I’m passionate about making sure those who are exposed to it, know how to protect themselves against it.”

Tinnitus can be caused by many things, but tinnitus caused by over exposure to unsafe levels of sound is completely preventable.

When it comes to listening to live music safely, the BTA want people to know more about sound levels, exposure times and how to easily protect themselves with earplugs. Basic filtered plugs which turn the sound level down but don’t impact on the quality of sound heard, can be purchased for less than £5.

BTA Campaigns Manager, Emily Broomhead said:

“We all know live music is loud and the feeling of the music can be almost as important as the actual songs to someone going in a club, or attending a music festival. But the biggest problem faced is a lack of understanding about the damage that loud music can cause. With Plug’em, we’re trying to educate and raise awareness of tinnitus and the damage loud music can cause. We want people to know that using hearing protection in a club, or at a gig or festival, should be as important as wearing a seatbelt in a car, or a hard hat on a construction site. It’s shocking to think that someone can go into a club and be exposed to music so loud that potentially within seconds it can damage their hearing permanently and cause tinnitus which may be with them for life”.

“Having Ambassadors such as James really makes a big difference to helping to raise vital awareness. Tinnitus affects more than 1 in 10 of the UK population, so with James and our other Ambassadors support, we’re able to reach audiences who we may not have reached previously. We’re massively grateful to James for helping us spread such an important message. He has such a huge following on social media that it really will make a big difference to us and to everyone who cares about making more people aware of this horrible condition which currently has no cure”.

To find out more about the Plug’em campaign, go to www.plugem.co.uk and find on social at @Plug_em.

ENDS

Editors Notes

• The BTA is an independent charity which supports 645,000 people per year who experience tinnitus and advises medical professionals from across the world. It is the primary source of support and information for people with tinnitus in the UK. 
• The BTA needs to raise £800,000 each year to continue their UK wide support. Donations can be made via 
• If">www.tinnitus.org.uk/donate
• If">... you would like to find out more about tinnitus, please visit the BTA website www.tinnitus.org.uk or call the BTA’s helpline on 0800 018 0527, which is open Monday to Friday, 9-5pm.
• Not an illness or disease, tinnitus is a term that describes the sensation of hearing a noise in the absence of an external sound. The noise can have virtually any quality. Ringing, whistling, and buzzing are common, but more complex sounds may also be reported.

For more information contact:

Nic Wray, Communications Manager

nic@tinnitus.org.uk

0114 250 9933

British Tinnitus Association
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Acorn Business Park
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Sheffield, S8 0TB