Deaf Luton Schoolgirl to Perform with BBC Children in Need Choir

Eight-year-old Josephine from Luton will perform live with the BBC Children in Need Choir as part of this year's fundraising event. Josephine was born deaf and has worn hearing aids since she was 12 weeks old.

She has been supported by the Phoenix Group for Deaf Children in Stevenage, a charity that provides opportunities and activities across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire and benefits from Children in Need funding. Josephine says the charity has helped her confidence, stating: "I used to feel shy and scared, but not anymore after being with other people who are deaf like me."

Josephine's mother Gemma said her daughter is always singing around the house. She enrolled Josephine into a deaf school, but later switched her to mainstream education when she noticed her speech was not developing. Gemma says the Phoenix group has been a big help, adding: "Sometimes she struggles at school and feels she's falling behind, but at Phoenix all of that disappears. She's just happy in her own skin, and being the person she is."

Josephine's father Charley is also deaf and said he found it hard to fit in when he was a child. The family wanted to find a place for Josephine where she would not feel isolated. The Phoenix Group organises trips for the children and provides sign language interpreters. They recently visited Royston Fire Station to learn about fire safety. The song for the Children in Need Choir this year is Stargazing, by Myles Smith, who is also from Luton, and Josephine is a fan. Josephine said: "I just want to sing, but I also want to be a sign language teacher - it's a superpower. There are other people who may be deaf like me but you can't stop them from doing what they want to do."