A project to help deaf people from ethnic minorities in Leicester has received a boost from the Lottery.

HearNow, led by Action Deafness, has received £243,900 from the Big Lottery Fund.

The scheme works with deaf black African and Asian communities across the city.

It aims to ensure every deaf person within these communities is able to access education, local authority and community services and find employment. Project workers support deaf people one-to-one, assessing their needs and providing advice on hearing aids, how to manage hearing loss and applying for disability benefits.

Action Deafness will also offer British Sign Language courses to family, friends and colleagues of beneficiaries, hold deaf awareness workshops for employers and develop a network of 90 deaf ambassadors to be advocates, role models and peer supports across the city.

Craig Crowley, chief executive of Action Deafness, said: "Over the next three years, we are looking to make a real and positive difference to the lives of black and Asian deaf people in Leicester's growing city."

Mick McGrath, of the Big Lottery Fund, said: "HearNow is an innovative project, aiming to empower people who are not always given a voice."