A magical evening celebrating 75 years of JDA

Our hearts are very full after JDA’s Reaching New Heights dinner, where around 125 guests joined us to celebrate our 75th anniversary.

Dame Maureen Lipman filled the room with warmth and laughter, while Lauren Plosker moved us all as she shared how JDA supported her family after her three-year-old son Solly was diagnosed as profoundly deaf. With live captioning, a captioned film and two brilliant BSL interpreters, everyone could feel fully part of this special evening.

The celebration also highlighted why JDA’s work remains so vital. One in three people is now living with deafness or hearing loss, and demand for our services has never been greater. In 2025 alone, we supported 4,829 people – a 93% increase in just one year.

Behind every number is a person or family who needs understanding, practical help and human connection. From welcoming parents after their baby is diagnosed as deaf and helping deaf children thrive, to supporting vulnerable older Deaf and Deafblind people and making community services more accessible, JDA is there at every stage of life.

Across our 75-year history, generations of kind and giving supporters have made this work possible – and so many wonderful friends continue to stand beside us today. To everyone who joined us, donated, sponsored, spoke, volunteered or helped create such a magical evening, we are deeply grateful.

Together, we can continue reaching new heights and ensure that no one faces deafness or hearing loss alone.

View the photos from the evening here.