Alban Neve Deaf Association (ANDA) was established in 2004. It was decided then that an Association would oversee the Deaf Centre in Luton in time for when the lease arrangement between Local Authority and St Albans Diocese expired in 2006. The Association would then be ready to take over the lease arrangement with the Diocese from 2007 onwards. Also, when the lease of the Alban Neve Deaf Centre and offices has been given, the Association would take on extra responsibilities of providing non-statutory services for Bedfordshire and Luton, so that the base would be there for the benefit of future post holder.
History
How did Alban Neve DEAF Centre gets its name?
After doing a bit of research on this topic, at first it was thought that there was a link between Mr Neve and St. Albans Diocese, hence calling Alban for St. Albans and Neve for Mr Neve, this proved to be slightly incorrect. Firstly yes there was a link between these two, but it was in fact the name of Mr Alban Neve being the person who was very involved in helping the Deaf Community in Luton going back to 1930s.
It is believed that Mr Alban Neve, himself a hearing person, has a family history of deafness.
The deaf community were having their Social gathering at various places in Luton before 1934, and Mr Alban Neve has offered them a room in Buxton Road where, being a well known solicitor, he has an office within the building, his business has expanded and decided to allow the Deaf Community to make the full use of Buxton Road and naming it as Neve Institute for the Deaf.
This was done after making some building alteration inside and it costs them a total of £346 of which £290–19 shillings and 10 pences was spent on alteration, Furnishings cost £50 and members of the Deaf Community raise £141 toward this cost, special appeal brought in £57 and a grant of £30 from Diocesan Sites and Building Committee, a shortfall of about £100, so Mr Alban Neve made the final donation of £110 as well as giving premises to Neve Institute under the direction of St. Albans Diocesan Mission to the Deaf and Dumb. This centre was officially opened by Mrs Bart Milner J.P. on 23rd June 1938.
CENTRE NOW at OLD BEDFORD ROAD
Late 1959 Deaf community feel that the centre at Buxton Road is becoming small, so they set up Fund Raising Committee and raised well over £25,000 to build a new centre at Old Bedford Road, Luton and it was officially open by a Dedication Service on July 19th 1962
ALBAN NEVE DEAF ASSOCIATION
The aims of this Association are:-
To provide support for people with a hearing loss and provide a range of services that will help with empowerment and social inclusion
To provide representation and advocacy services that will enable deaf people to challenge issues concerning equality and discrimination
To address issues equality of access to services in Bedfordshire, Luton and surrounding areas
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Alban Neve Deaf Association is always on the lookout for anyone who wishes to me a member of the Board and there is a vacancy at present and usually meets one evening every three months, majority of the board is deaf.