The UK's only deaf medical herbalist moves in to Louth

However, one local woman - Jane Dewis, from Conisholme - has done exactly that, opening the doors to her own herbal clinic in Louth’s New Market Hall - despite having been profoundly deaf since she was just six years old.

The opening of the new business, ‘Simply Herbal Clinic’, at the beginning of April, means that Jane is officially the only deaf medical herbalist in the UK.

Jane, 56, previously ran a herbal clinic alongside her son-in-law in Bakewell, Derbyshire, but following the closure of that clinic she decided to set up her own business in her local town of Louth.

Jane told the Leader that she has been profoundly deaf since just before her seventh birthday, following suspected meningitis.

Jane said: “I’ve got a cochlear implant now, but previously I had generally relied on lip reading. It is more challenging running this kind of business when you’re deaf, as it’s about people’s health and sometimes people have preconceptions about deaf people because there aren’t many of them in medicine generally.

“The market traders here have been brilliant and very supportive.”

• Visit Jane at the shop in the New Market Hall for more information, or text her on 07885 264988 (SMS only) or call 01507 607208.