A FORMER Cross Hills resident has been presented with a national award for his work in volunteering for a hearing loss charity.

Jim O’Rourke, 75, (pictured) lived in Cross Hills from 1978 until 2011 when he moved back home to his native Ireland.

He was well known in Craven, initially working in Social Services.

After retirement he worked part-time for the Environment Agency.

As a hearing aid user from his early 50s, Mr O’Rourke became an Action on Hearing Loss hearing aid maintenance volunteer at the charity’s free drop in clinics for NHS hearing aid repairs and maintenance.

As well as this he also does home visits to the housebound and staff training at residential care and nursing homes where a considerable number of residents are hearing aid users and his expertise is of huge benefit.

On receiving the award he said his only regret was: “Not having had the knowledge and skills from AOHL when working in Social Services in Yorkshire, but maybe that’s what pushes me more to stand up for people with hearing loss now.”

He was recently awarded AOHL UK National Volunteer’’ ‘Passion in Action’ 2019 award.

The AOHL charity, formerly known as the Royal National Institute for Deaf People, held its annual awards ceremony in London during Volunteers Week between June 1 to 7.