A hearing aid charity founded by a Golders Green audiologist has started out by giving life-changing assistance to a Georgian refugee in London.
Nathan Gluck set up Shema Hearing Support last month to help those in financial difficulty.
Early beneficiaries include Sam, a father in his 40s who could no longer talk on the phone and Lada, whose poor hearing had hindered her job search.
Hearing aids can cost more than £1,000 and although basic versions are available through the NHS, patients with more complex problems often struggle to get the correct equipment.
Mr Gluck was moved by the story of Lada, whose hearing was damaged by exploding shells during Georgia's conflict with Russia. He arranged for her to be fitted with hearing aids and she has now been able to secure domestic work.
Some people cannot afford the hearing care they need
The fledgling charity has also come to the rescue of Sam, who was forced to give up work when his hearing began to deteriorate.
A long-time client of Mr Gluck's, he could not afford the £1,000 to buy new and better hearing aids.
"I got a significant contribution towards the aids which has changed my life," he said. "I am now more confident. I am able to communicate more effectively and am hopeful that I will soon be able to work again."
Mr Gluck, who also works with the Jewish Deaf Association, has distributed flyers to patients and friends appealing for donations. He plans to run fundraising events when the charity is more established.
"Over the years, I have become increasingly aware that some of the people I see would benefit from the more sophisticated hearing care that is only available privately," he explained.
"But because of the circumstances they find themselves in, they cannot afford it."