Rotorua schools, businesses and groups don colour galore for Loud Shirt Day

There was colour galore as Rotorua people got loud with their attire for a great cause.

Loud Shirt Day was held today, with this year's theme being superheroes.

It is the annual appeal for The Hearing House and the Southern Cochlear Implant
Programme.

The two charities are dedicated to helping deaf children with cochlear implants and hearing aids learn to listen and speak just like their hearing peers.

The day sees schools, businesses, community groups and individuals raise money by
dressing up in a loud shirt and collecting donations from participants.

St Mary's Catholic School pupil and Young Vinnies leader Tara Ronayne, 10, said it was great to see her peers in their loud shirts because Loud Shirt Day had a lot of meaning.

She said Young Vinnies tried to do something every term to help someone out.

Fellow Young Vinnies leader Molly Bradley, 10, has a hearing aid herself. She said it was cool to have the school supporting the unique cause.

St Mary's Catholic School students raised about $360 for Loud Shirt Day. Photo / Ben Fraser

Sheryl Todd, St Mary's Catholic School Young Vinnies co-ordinator and Room 1 teacher, said it was a fun way to raise money.

"This is a way for us to help others and not just think of ourselves."

The pupils of Room 1 all agreed that they had enjoyed Loud Shirt Day. The school raised about $360.

Rotorua Intermediate Room H5 teacher Susan Bentley said it was the school's second year taking part in Loud Shirt Day.

She said she challenged the school about four weeks ago to learn a song in sign language, which they also did last year.

This year's song was Take It Easy by Stan Walker.

Bentley said there was a school assembly in the morning, where a video was played showing the cochlear journey for a young baby and the school signed the song to the guests.

Guests included Pixie Neame who is a deaf support teacher and sign language teacher, and Bentley's daughter Katie Flay, whose daughter Eva Chadwick, 2, has two cochlear implants.

She said there were a mixture of superhero and loud shirts, and $432 was raised for the cause.

Bentley said it was an important cause to get behind, with the money going directly to The Hearing House.

"They [the pupils] are really interested in learning sign language.

"It's our third official language and means you can communicate with all our hearing impaired in the community."

She said it was lovely to see the pupils performing the song.

"It's just a nice day and raises the kids' awareness of all our different members of society."

The Loud Shirt Day campaign is being fronted by a group of deaf children who have cochlear implants and hearing aids.

Loud Shirt Day co-ordinator Ankita Luthra said these children were among the many true superheroes, of all kinds, across the country.