A PROFOUNDLY deaf teenager from a town near York has overcome the challenges she faces to achieve a prestigious award.

Eleanor Thompson, from Selby, was diagnosed as being profoundly deaf when she was just five months old.

Born 12 weeks premature, Eleanor is non-verbal and relies on sign language to communicate. She also has delayed learning which means she has the reading age of around a six-year-old.

Despite this, Eleanor, 15, is bursting with pride after earning a Girlguiding Silver award, one of the top three awards available in Guides.

Her mum, Elizabeth Thompson said: “Receiving this award means so much to Eleanor. She has to work so much harder than most girls as she cannot hear, talk or engage with others as easily. Typically it takes girls around three years to achieve their Silver award, and that’s without the additional challenges that Eleanor has.

“She has exceeded all of our expectations and proved that someone with her needs can not only take part in activities like Girlguiding, but go that extra mile with it too.”

Eleanor’s parents said they have always been determined to help their daughter to make the most of every opportunity.

While they weren’t sure if it would be possible for Eleanor to join Guides, they were delighted when a unit in Wistow welcomed her in 2019.

While Elizabeth has been overjoyed with the welcome that her daughter received from 1st Wistow Guides, she said finding the right unit took careful consideration. 

She added: “We needed to find a group that met in a venue with the right acoustics.

“Many Guide units meet in very echoey halls which would make it very difficult for Eleanor. It also needed to be led by people who were able to take on the extra challenge that having Eleanor in their unit entails.

“Luckily the leader of 1st Wistow Guides, is a ‘yes person’. She was happy to make things happen and has tried very hard to engage Eleanor.” 

Guide leader Alison Cunningham and her assistants learnt basic British sign language to help them communicate with Eleanor. Meanwhile the whole unit has learnt how to sign the song they sing at the end of every meeting to help Eleanor to feel included. 

It has also helped that Eleanor’s sister, who knows sign language, is a member of the same Guide unit so she is able to help the leaders if they get stuck. 

While Eleanor attends a specialist deaf school, her parents are keen for their daughter to have as wide a social circle as possible.

Elizabeth said: “Despite her additional needs, Eleanor is still a teenage girl and can do lots of things.

"Eleanor is a great role model and proves that it is possible for profoundly deaf children to get involved in Girlguiding.”