Digital Hearing Aids Cannock – Digital Hearing Aids Staffordshire

Digital Hearing Aids Cannock – Digital Hearing Aids Staffordshire

Cannock sits just under 30 miles south of Stoke on Trent where the HQ of Castle Hearing Aids is based.  Though Cannock seems to have an identity crisis for many years.  In the 11th century at the time of the Domesday Book it was called Chenet.  About 50 years later it was referred to as Chnoc and a little later Cnot.  Add another 50 years and the town became Canoc.

From this strange history it is thought that the name Cannock is probably derived from the Norman pronunciation of the Old English Cnocc.  This word meant ‘hillock’ and may well have referred to the nearby Shoal Hill.  I wonder what that was called back then.

Hearing difficulties
Having difficulty hearing unusual names is perhaps one of the first difficulties you might notice if your hearing is beginning to struggle.  Other signs might be the volume you need the television at to hear – which might be too loud for others.  If you think you might have a problem, it’s best to get it checked out.  It could be due to earwax which is simple to remove.  If of course your hearing is beginning to deteriorate for any other reason, a professional audiologist can advise you.

We can arrange a free hearing test for you in your area.  Just give us a call on 01782 698090 or if it’s easier fill in our online form to arrange a free appointment.

The delights of Cannock Chase
Cannock is just north of Cannock Chase an ‘area of outstanding natural beauty’.  In fact this area lies between the towns of Cannock, Lichfield, Rugeley and Stafford and is the smallest area in Britain to hold this accolade at just 26 miles².  But it easy to see why.  The area features woodlands, heathlands and wetlands with interesting flora and fauna.  As well as being home to 800 fallow dear, you can also find the Migrant Nightjar here, a very rare bird.  Others you might be able to spot include Bramling, Yellowhammer and Bullfinch.

Many varieties of Vaccinnium grow here including the Cannock Chase Berry.  You might be more familiar with other varieties - blueberries, huckleberries and cranberries.

This area provides not just natural beauty but many ways you can enjoy it.  Its 6 visitor centres all focus around different activities and there is certainly something for everyone from a steam train to fishing.  The Forestry Commission even stage concerts here in the summer months.

Walking and cycling trails are very popular.  Most are accessible to all but a few offer a more challenging experience like the ‘Follow the Dog’ and the ‘Monkey Trail’ for serious cyclists.  There are also trails that cater for those with disabilities and one centre even has electric scooters for those with mobility problems to use.

There are many walking trails including the Heart of England Way and the Staffordshire Way.

You can fish at the Fairoak fishing pools or walk the Route to Health to see the sculptures.  There’s boating and sailing at Chasewater where you’ll also find crazy golf and pedal go-karting as well as the steam train.

Of course if you prefer to see the beautiful natural surrounding from above you can GoApe!  This attraction allows you to swing through the trees pushing your adrenalin levels higher!  Tree-top  bridges, tunnels and zip wires take you across these routes.  Or try out the segways to get you around on the ground.

Take a look at local history at the Museum of Cannock Chase which celebrates the area’s industrial heritage in the Coal Mining Gallery, the Miner’s Cottage gallery based on Victorian times and a 1940’s room.  You can also see the Coal Face gallery and a history if toys exhibit here.

All of the visitor centres have good facilities from cloakrooms to cafes to gift shops.  There are picnic benches in some areas for you to further enjoy ‘the great outdoors’.

At the Chase’s southern edge are the remains of an Iron Age Hill Fort.

Shugborough Hall
At the opposite edge is Shugborough Hall described as the country’s ‘best upstairs downstairs experience’.  The mansion house is set in 900 acres of parkland and maintains its interior as it was complete with a working Victorian servants’ quarters.  There is also a Georgian farm and mill as well as a beautiful restored walled garden.  Amongst these different settings you’ll find costumed ‘guides’ who will tell you stories about the house and its earlier inhabitants.

Now you can also see some Lord Lichfiled’s private rooms.

There are added attractions too to make sure the whole family enjoys the experience from a rare breeds farm to an old fashioned sweet shop on site.  No attraction would be complete without a restaurant/café, a gift shop and other facilities.

More recent history
Cannock Chase hosts a number of War Memorials.  These include cemeteries for German and Commonwealth war victims.  The former is a memorial to World War I whilst the Commonwealth Cemetery recognises those who died in both World Wars.

There is a also a memorial to those who died in the Katyn Massacre of Polish Prisoners of War by the Russians (1940).

Cannock’s history
Cannock from early times was a small rural community concentrating on agriculture.  It was coal mining in the 19th century which changed the area.  Like so many small communities before it, Cannock began to grow with this industrialisation.  Due to it’s close proximity to the West Midlands
Black Country where coal reserves were in good supply, industry flourished.  In fact it was only part way through the last century that the last colliery closed (1967).  This was the end of ‘heavy industry’ in the Cannock area.  Now Cannock serves mainly as a commuter town for large towns and cities nearby.

Who do you know with Cannock-connections?
With connections to at least 13 professional footballers over time and with members of Whitesnake (Mike Galley), Deep Purple (Glenn Hughes), The Prefects (Robert Lloyd), The Wildhearts (Richard Battersby) and Balaam and the Angels bands, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Cannock has something special in the water!

Famous footballers
·         Local boy Andy Bishop plays for Bury and is currently on loan to Walsall where he started out in the youth team

·         Another local boy Luke Chapman  plays for Sutton Coldfield Town

·         Currently playing for Forest Green is Jared Hodgkiss

·         Kris Taylor was part of the Manchester United brigade though he never made the first team.  Now he plays for AFC Telford United


Retired players
·         Malcolm Beard who once played for Birmingham City and Aston Villa was born in Cannock

·         Stan Collymore who was born nearby spent his youth career playing for Walsall before a career that included Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, Fulham, Leicester City and Real Oviedo.  He was capped for England 3 times

·         Deiniol Graham who played for Manchester United, Barnsley, Stockport and various other teams and was capped for Wales.  He currently manages Llandudno

·         Another local player who was capped for England was the late Gerry Hitchens.  He played for Cardiff City, Aston Villa, Torino, Atlanta, Chicago Mustangs and Merthyr Tydfil

·         Gordon Lee played for Aston Villa and Shrewsbury Town before carving out a managerial career.  Managed teams include Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United, Everton, Preston North end and Leicester City

·         Dave Norton played for Aston Villa, Notts County and Hull City before playing for a number of smaller clubs and eventually retiring due to injury.  He managed  a number of teams after this

·         Local boy Geoff Palmer played for Wolverhampton Wanders before retiring in 1986

·         The late Aston Villa player, Alec Talbot was born in Cannock

·         The late Arthur Wharton who came from Ghana trained as a missionary at school in Cannock.  His claim to fame though is as the first professional association black footballer in the UK playing for a variety of clubs including Darlington, Preston North End, Sheffield United and Stockport County.

Other famous folk
·         Richard and Mick Gosling both achieved ‘Britain’s Strongest Man’ accolade in 2003 and 2005 respectively

·         Professional golfer Jim Rhodes hails from Cannock

·         Actors Steve Edge (Peep Show, Star Stories, Phoenix Nights), Carole Ashby (‘Allo ‘Allo, Octopussy, View to a Kill) and Emily Dormer (Casualty, Doctors and Silent Witness) also have Cannock connections

·         Writer Jed Mercurio grew up in Cannock and is best known for TV scripts for Bodies, The Grimleys, Cardiac Arrest

·         Frank Edward Tylecote from Cannock was Professor of Medicine at Manchester University and was the first to find a connection between smoking and lung cancer

·         The late Jennie Lee, Baroness Lee of Asheridge, was one time MP for Cannock and Minister of Education who was a founding force of the Open University


Calling all residents of Cannock and surrounding district – loudly!
Remember if you or a loved one are experiencing difficulties hearing as clearly as you used to, get in touch for us to arrange a free hearing test with a professional audiologist.

Causes of a hearing impediment are many including the one that will get most of us eventually, as we age.  But there are many other causes too.  If you are experiencing difficulty it is good to get it checked to see what can be done to help.

The hearing test is easy and done via headphones and a computer.  After this it maybe that digital hearing aids are the best way to improve your hearing.  Wouldn’t you like to feel less isolated and be able to join in conversations?  Contact us today for help and advise either by telephone on 01782 698090 or by emailing us.