A campaign to raise awareness of deaf people has been launched in Glasgow schools.

Charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf People is arranging visits to city primary and secondaries to teach children the alphabet in British Sign Language (BSL).

And pupils will also get the chance to meet a hearing dog and find out what life is like for a working pooch.

Lyndsay Campbell, Community Fundraising Manager for Hearing Dogs in Scotland, said: “Let’s Hear It is an important campaign to raise awareness of deafness in schools.

"As well as a sign language video with Angellica Bell, the television presenter, we can arrange school visits in Glasgow so that local children can learn more about hearing dogs and how the charity transforms the lives of deaf people.

“We also offer free downloadable resource packs for teachers and parents on our website, which include deaf awareness activities, sign language tutorials and an art and design competition.”

More than 800,000 people in the UK are severely or profoundly deaf, and 45,000 of those are children.

The new campaign aims to educate young people about deafness and learn the importance of communicating in British Sign Language.

Kirsteen Allison is one person who has been helped by the charity.

The 34-year-old was born with progressive hearing loss, meaning she had some hearing at birth but this is increasingly dwindling.

She went to a mainstream school then on to university while using lip reading and specialist equipment to help her get by.

Kirsteen said: "It was hard to make friends though and I was badly bullied. My classmates would mock me if I mispronounced something.

“At home, I relied on family to tell me when it was time to get up and if the smoke alarm was going off.

"I thought I was a normal teenager but looking back, I wasn't quite as independent as others. In my early thirties, I would still be staying at my mother's if my husband was away overnight.

“I didn't feel I belonged in either the hearing world or the deaf world, as I do not use sign language."

It was when Kirsteen was on maternity leave following the birth of her first child that she realised how dependent she was on her family.

She added: "Suddenly there was someone dependent on me. I was very anxious about being a good mum, so much so that I insisted my husband wake me if my daughter cried, rather than getting up himself.

"This made him feel left out and made me extremely tired. I also carried my daughter from room to room and found myself watching her turn her head towards a noise.

“After months of feeling stressed and depressed, I initially approached social workers for extra equipment such as flashing alarms etc. However, these either did not work, or went off at the wrong times."

Kirsteen contacted Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and they matched her to cockerpoo Frankie who she says has changed her life.

She said: "I can honestly say I underestimated how much of a difference she has made to my life.

"I no longer rely on family to alert me to sounds, because Frankie has been trained to alert me to the doorbell, fire alarm, alarm clock and more.

"I no longer have to stay at my parents if my husband is away anywhere, because Frankie will alert me to any danger.

“But the most important thing, is that she has made an invisible disability visible. When we are out and about, people see her coat and realise I am deaf. Now they know that I'm not being rude. "People ask questions and I enjoy answering. I talk to more people now than I ever did before and that's because Frankie is a brilliant ice breaker.”

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People is a national charity that trains clever dogs to alert deaf people to vital sounds such as the doorbell, telephone and fire alarm.

The charity is hosting an event on Thursday evening at Glasgow University Memorial chapel where people can meet the hearing dogs and watch demonstrations.

It will be held from 6pm until 7.30pm and is free, though the charity hopes people will make a donation.