Digital Hearing Aids Leek – Digital Hearing Aids Staffordshire

Digital Hearing Aids Leek – Digital Hearing Aids Staffordshire

Calling all of you who live in the Leek area in Staffordshire.  Have you heard we have lots of advice for you about hearing loss.  Whilst we know it is a condition that we are often in denial about not least because it creeps up on us slowly, acknowledging a problem is the starting point.

Our website identifies reasons why you might be experiencing a loss of hearing  and which will help you decide if you have a problem or not.

If you would like more information for yourself or a loved one, please call our local office on 01782 698090.

All about Leek
What a great market town Leek is and it’s just 10 miles from our office.  You’ll find Leek stands at about 600ft above sea level surrounded by the Staffordshire Moorlands and is just at the foot of the famous Peak District National Park.  Leek has two other names that it is often known by or referred to as – ‘Queen of the Moorlands’ and ‘Gateway to the Peak District’.

The Peak District
The Peak District covers 550 square miles mostly in Derbyshire but also in Staffordshire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester and South and West Yorkshire.  The Park gets about 22 million visitors every year, making it the second most visited national park in the world.  Number 1 is Mount Fuji National Park in Japan.

The first roads through the Peak District were built by the Romans linking settlements like Buxton to Manchester, Glossop and Doncaster.  These were followed by packhorse routes and paved causeways in the medieval era, with toll roads appearing at the beginning of the 19th century.  Then came the railways and now of course several main roads traverse the Peak District, including Snake Pass aka A57 linking Sheffield and Manchester.

Tourism accounts for 24% of the employment in the Park, followed by 19% in the manufacturing industries.  These include cutlery for David Mellor, brake linings and electronic equipment and a further 12% in quarrying.  Just 12% are also employed in the agriculture industry.  There are just under 3,000 small farms in the area, many run on a part-time basis.  Timber is also produced from several plantations within the region.

Back in Leek
Leek was given a Royal Charter way back at the beginning of the 13th century and has hosted a regular cattle market for centuries.

There is a wealth of Victorian and even older buildings still to be found in the town which help to give it its character.  Much of the local architecture is the work of local 19th century architects Sugden and Sons.  They had a big influence on the town and were sympathetic to the older buildings.  Their offices still exist on Derby Street with the ground floor currently occupied by Boots the Chemists.  Some of the buildings designed by them include the Congregational Church now known as Trinity Church with its spire of 130 feet, Myatt’s Mill, the Mill Street Methodist Church and Ragged School.  They also built the Cottage Hospital and their own houses (Queen Street), West Street School, the District Bank and the Leonard Street Police Station.

One of their best is acknowledged as the Nicholson Institute.  This Queen Anne style building was built in 1882 and is partially obscured behind the 17th Greystones.  Busts of four famous men of the arts and sciences were incorporated in this Institute, Shakespeare, Newton, Reynolds and Tennyson as a nod to 400 years of achievement in these areas.

The Nicholson War Memorial was commissioned by Sir Arthur Nicholson and his wife to commemorate their son who died in the First World War.  It is also dedicated to all local men who died in that war too.

Local attractions
Leek is less than 15 miles from Alton Towers theme park.  Built on the ancient site of an Iron Age Fort, Alton Towers attracts more the 2.5 million visitors every year.  They come to indulge in thrills from the rides and as with theme parks the world over it has a number of fantasy areas and scary rides.

In a completely different mood, Rudyard Lake is also popular and it is where you will find the Rudyard Lake Steam Railway.

Leek’s Double sunset
It was back in the 17th century that the double sunset was first noticed in Leek.  It is rare but Leek is one of the most likely places to see one.  Basically the sun sets twice on the same evening usually around the summer solstice in June.  This attracts visitors too, who traditionally watch it from the parish church grounds or across Rudyard Lake.

Other double sunsets have been spotted in the area at Chrome Hill, Parkhouse Hill and Thorpe Cloud.

Who do you know from Leek?
• A number of famous people have connections with Leek.  For instance the canal builder James Brindley lived here for much of his life.  Home schooled he set up a wheelwright business in Leek and progressed to a master canal engineer, responsible for many of the canals throughout the country.  The Brindley Water Mill & Museum was built by him and has been renovated.

• Founder of the Arts & Crafts Movement, William Morris lived in Leek for a few years where he studied the techniques of dyeing with a local silk firm.  He is probably best known for his intricately designed textiles.  He was a member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and also founded the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings.

• It was architect Sugden’s connection with this Society which preserved the Greystones building in Leek which is now a tearoom.

• Averil Cameron, once Warden of Keble College, Oxford and Professor of Late Antique and Byzantine History there, grew up in Leek.

• Dave Hill and Mal Spooner both of heavy-metal band Demon are from here too.

• Professional darts player and 5 time world champion darts player Eric Bristow lives here.

• Musician James Ford comes from Leek.  He composes and produces music and has produced 3 Arctic Monkey’s Albums.  He was also guest guitarist on one of their tracks, ‘Only ones who know’.

• Olympic double skulls gold medallist Anna Watkins was born here.

Loud and clear
For quite a small market town, Leek certainly has a few interesting connections.  The question is how well do you connect?  Are your communication skills hampered by poor hearing?  If this is the case contact us for details of how we can help you.  You can email us or call us on 01782 698090.