I am writing as I just wanted you to know how much your continued help down the years has changed my life. The hearing improvements I have gained as a result of your continued outstanding service have been so dramatic that the quality of both my personal and work life have reached levels I could not believe possible.

Over the last five to ten years since I have been visiting you, I have always been acutely aware that I would not have received this service anywhere else. Quite frankly the level of knowledge you demonstrate combined with you persistant determination and passion to provide the best hearing improvements possible always amaze me. I will be forever grateful for all the time and help you have given down the years and hope to see you in Exeter for many years to come.

Guy Newton

Local musician, Janet Dietz, explains here how she developed an ear condition in her early 20s that caused her to lose confidence in her ability to perform. But through the efforts, encouragement and expertise of Will Parfitt, one of our hearing aid audiologists here, she has been able do things she thought she'd never again have the chance or confidence to do.

She nominated Will for the 2009 Audiologist of the Year, and he was recognised for his efforts by the independent panel of judges as "highly commended".

Using the telephone with hearing aids is a topic that comes up often during appointments. So we’ve put together our top solutions to make phone conversation clearer and to avoid any whistling.

LACE is an interactive home-study computer or DVD course that enables you to increase your listening skills by up to 45%.

Whether you wear hearing aids, are just acquiring aids, or simply wish to improve your listening skills, LACE training will help you get the most out of the sounds of life.

Many hearing aid users in the UK are missing out on the full benefits of their current hearing technology because it hasn’t been properly optimised for their individual hearing and lifestyle.

That's why we've developed H.A.L.O.™ (Hearing And Listening Optimisation) – to ensure you get the very best out of your hearing aids.

This gentleman has very kindly agreed to explain his observations on his recently upgraded Phonak hearing aids. He plays the clarinet so that was an important factor in the choose of technology. We needed to ensure that the sound reproduction for music was natural and without distortion.

Hearing is one of your most important senses, and as such it's very personal to you. It not only affects you but everyone that comes into contact with you. So it's absolutely crucial you get the best out of it.

Going private for your hearing care provides you with a great many benefits that helps you take your hearing further. It includes choice of technology, choice of style and choice of support.

'I have noticed much more difficulty with hearing high frequency pitches and consonants, as the years have gone by, due to an asymmetrical hearing loss; resulting in a particular problem hearing conversations in busy or noisy environments.

The team at Broom Reid & Harris have been very helpful. They identified a new type of hearing aid which is ideal for people in my position. It sits in the ear, but does not go into the ear canal, and it magnifies the sounds I can’t hear to the right level without blocking out those that I can.

I am involved in a lot of local organisations and my new aid means that I can hear conversations without straining – it has made a big difference.

A lot of people put up with bad hearing because they think it is something that just happens, especially as you get older. My advice would be to have a hearing test and, if you need a hearing aid, to be prepared to wear it – it makes all the difference to your quality of life.

Valerie Bacon

As a former BBC radio presenter my hearing has always been important to me, which is why my hearing loss was not obvious to me at first.

I was convinced that my husband was mumbling, my daughter’s diction had disintegrated and that the television needed to be turned up louder because the sound quality on new televisions was obviously not as good as on the old ones.

However, after some persuasion from my family a home visit was arranged with Broom Reid & Harris. Experts there identified some hearing loss, and I was fitted with a hearing aid.

All of a sudden I could hear the birdsong and the falling rain, and I could tell that my husband was not mumbling and that my daughter’s diction was perfect! They have noticed a great difference, and I am no longer accusing my husband of muttering through his beard.

My loss of hearing was so gradual that it was a surprise to have it confirmed.

My new hearing aid has made all the difference, and the staff at Broom Reid & Harris were very pleasant, patient and helpful indeed.

Margaret Mulhern

Many years ago I was devastated to learn that I had a hearing loss. I was only 38 years old and did not want to admit that it was happening to me.

I went to see my GP, which was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I was referred to an ENT consultant and I eventually decided to have a private consultation at Broom Reid & Harris.

I was assessed and eventually fitted with a digital hearing aid. Their care, advice and patience were second to none.

I am now having another two hearing aids fitted due to a deterioration in my hearing, and there was only one hearing aid centre to go to and that was Broom Reid & Harris, a company I can trust.

Dorothy Piper