Wayne Benskin, 41, has been an RNID volunteer since 2025. Alongside his role at a secondary school, he volunteers at his local RNID Near You service. Here, Wayne shares his hearing loss journey and what volunteering with RNID means to him.
We would love to learn more about you and your connection to hearing loss. What’s your story?
I’ve had hearing loss since I was born (I was premature by a couple of months) and as a little boy I would be in and out of hospital to have grommets inserted (tiny tubes placed in the eardrum to let air through and improve hearing). In my early teens I started to feel tired at school, and while I realised it was likely due to my hearing, I was put off doing anything as I was a teenager.
Eventually, aged 16, I needed some fluid draining out of my ear, and it was then the hospital realised my inner ear had not formed properly. I started wearing a hearing aid from then on.
How did your life change after you got your first hearing aid?
I’ve got single-sided deafness so I guess I thought my right ear would compensate, but my hearing was not balanced, and I would struggle with directional hearing. Suddenly I was getting a bit of help and picking up sounds I had missed before. The hearing aid made everything more vivid, but as the years went on, my inner ear stopped processing the sound that the hearing aid picked up.
What were you offered to help with your hearing loss at this point?
I went to the audiologist, and they realised I could benefit from a hearing aid that bypassed the inner ear. A bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA) was suggested, and I was very lucky because I had the operation in the January before lockdown.
Sound was not crystal clear for me, but I think it’s amazing what your brain can do to adapt. I’m very much a fan of embracing new technology and seeing what benefits it can bring. I think it’s amazing that hearing research has led to progression in both a technological and scientific way.
It’s fantastic that the NHS can offer cutting-edge hearing aids, and the fact that you can stream music or a voice call directly to mine is incredible – it makes listening less of a chore.
Why did you decide to become a volunteer at RNID Near You?
I had some spare time during my working week, and I wanted to help locally. I knew about RNID anyway, so I thought I’d research opportunities. I discovered they were starting a new RNID Near You service near where I live, and I thought it would be great to get involved in its infancy. I also wanted to help other people who may be going through similar things I have.
I’m so proud to be a part of what RNID is striving to achieve, and I know that the service and its volunteers mean a lot to those who use it. It may only be an hour of my time, but that one hour is worth hundreds more in terms of benefitted hours to the people who receive our help.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a volunteer?
I like to run the digital desk and help with things like pairing hearing aids to phones or tablets. Buttons on hearing aids are so fiddly, so it’s difficult for some people to take full advantage of the functionality.
One gentleman I helped recently was completely blown away by the fact that he could change the settings of his hearing aid in the palm of his hand. He loved it, and it was great knowing I had just enabled him to embrace his hearing aids more.
Ultimately, I just enjoy the fact that we can help our immediate community, and I love seeing our visitors leave happy because we’ve unleashed a new side to their hearing aids.
