YOU are in the midst of your family but you cannot hear the conversation. The dog twitches her ears. You suspect she knows more about what is going on, than you do. There are peals of laughter. You never heard the punch line but pretend to be amused.

In the restaurant you are hit by a solid wall of indecipherable sound reflected from hard surfaces and magnified by your hearing aids. Your neighbours chat away merrily. You study the menu.

Once home you opt for an early night and retire to the peace of your room with a good book. You are on the path to isolation and loneliness.

Now picture yourself in a different setting. You are one of a dozen or so: a mixed group ranging from early adulthood to old age. You are intent on the face of your teacher. You are learning to see what she is saying: to re-learn a skill you first acquired in the cradle.

Once she has finished her story you face your neighbour and read what he is saying despite the hubbub of noise from the rest of the group. You notice how animated that timid woman has become. She joined the group just a few months ago. See how her confidence has grown. You are in a lip reading class.

Lip reading classes are on Thursdays 6 - 8pm, Altrincham Town Hall, Market Street, Altrincham WA14 1PG. Classes are £30 per term. Email the tutor at: lipreading@outlook.com, mobile: 07500 892 509 (text messages only please) phone Trafford Hard of Hearing Group: 07971 255 786 (voice or text messages)

George Mawer, Chairman, Trafford Hard of Hearing Group