The Spring Chicks Women’s Institute gathered on Wednesday to hear from specialists on the subjects of ‘ears, feet and boobs’. The meeting, which was held at the Albany Tennis Club, was well attended and featured talks from four guest healthcare specialists. Audiologist Guy Wolstencroft spoke about ears; podiatrist Owen Thomas lectured on feet; and Sue Ardern and Hillary Miller from the Nobles Hospital Breast Care Team talked about ‘boobs’. The theme of the evening was one of informing the women about how best to care for their bodies. Guy Wolstencroft, Manager of Manx Hidden Hearing in Village Walk, Onchan, told the audience about the structure of the ear and the facts about how and why the ear can become damaged, leading to hearing loss. He also talked about the social implications of hearing loss and how it can affect the lives of both those who suffer from it and those around them, such as family or friends. When left untreated, it could often lead to isolation and feelings of anxiety. Guy stressed that there was no reason for people to suffer in this way with the quality of hearing devices available on the market today. Guy commented: “I was really happy to attend what was a very interesting evening. The other speakers were very informative, and I welcomed the opportunity to educate the ladies on the importance of protecting their hearing and how to encourage people they might know who are experiencing hearing loss to deal with it properly.” Owen Thomas talked about the importance of caring for your feet from a young age and touched on how relatively small muscles in the feet can have significant impacts on the hips and knees if they are not used properly. He even told of his plans to modernise the ballet shoe for a more comfortable fit. Sue and Hilary shared positive statistics on breast cancer and explained how to be breast aware and check for changes, as well as what to do if you find a lump. They explained how the local breast screening process allows women over 50 to get free breast screenings every 2 years. Debbie Kenyon, Secretary of the Spring Chicks group, commented on the evening: “The evening was a great success – fun and informative! I would really like to thank all of the speakers for giving up their time to share their knowledge with the group. We would especially like to thank each of them for giving up their speakers fee to donate the funds to Breast Cancer Awareness instead.” The Spring Chicks WI are known for their more unusual and active pastimes and attract a wide age range of ladies. The Manx Hidden Hearing Clinic is based in Onchan and offers complimentary hearing tests to people of any age. ends