Narromine Preschool Management Committee vice-president, Caroline Maxwell, took the opportunity to present Hear Our Heart support worker Kathy Green with a cheque for $500 which had been raised by the Preschool.

The Preschool has formed a School Health Subcommittee and the availability of hearing testing and follow up services is one of the primary focuses of school readiness.

Ms Maxwell, who is also the Community Health Nurse for the Western NSW Local Health District (LHD), said she was very excited about an audiology service being available for children in Narromine on a regular basis.

“The Hear Our Heart testing service is invaluable for the children in our area,” Ms Maxwell said.

“Having the service on a regular basis will mean excellent follow up rates for children whose families would have previously had to travel to Dubbo.”

The Hear our Heart ear bus is a project of the Dubbo and District Parent Support Group for Deaf and Hearing Impaired Inc – a local charity established in 1997 to raise funds for improving and supporting educational facilities for the deaf and hard of hearing in Dubbo and the surrounding areas.

Audiologist Robyn Little (pictured above testing Walter Maxwell’s hearing) has donated another week of her time to carry out testing with the Hear Our Heart ear bus.

Ms Little comes from Sydney and is a regular volunteer with the bus.

The service is set to return to the Narromine Community Health Centre in February, 2018.

The part time staff and many volunteers will be on Christmas holidays from December 20 until school returns on January 29, 2018.

To book a test for your child, give the team a call on 6884 8751, leave a message and they will return your call in February.

Spaces are still available at the Dubbo Hear Our Heart office on Wednesday, December 13 and Thursday, December 14.

Phone the office for more information.