A musical student who is partially deaf will this week perform in a concert she has organised to help other children in a similar situation to her own.

Despite suffering from a degenerative hearing condition, Honey Childs, of King Edward VI School in Bury St Edmunds, exudes positivity and does not let her condition stop her from doing the things she loves.

The 17-year-old, whose AS Levels include music and media studies, is putting on a summer concert at the school on Thursday in aid of the National Deaf Childen’s Society (NDCS).

The concert, which will feature the school’s most talented musicians, will be the third she has organised to support the charity, which she said works so tirelessly for youngsters with conditions like herself.

Miss Childs, who is an accomplished pianist and also sings, said: “There are so many people much worse off than I am.”

The sixth form student said when she was a baby her mother noticed something was not right and she kept going to the hospital, but it was only at the age of about nine or 10 that doctors identified something was wrong.

She said currently her hearing was slightly worse than it had been, but fingers crossed it would not deteriorate any further.

“I had a hospital appointment a couple of weeks ago. They said it might get better, or looking at the past few visits, it just seems to be settling.”

Miss Childs, from Hartest, uses lip-reading to help her understand what people are saying, adding she hears better when there is less background noise.

“I see other people who are completely deaf and they are unable to do music and they cannot hear sounds properly, and I can do that at the moment.”

She added: “I look at Beethoven [who was partially deaf]. I look at some of his pieces and they are amazing.”

Headteacher of King Edward VI School, Geoff Barton, said: “She exudes optimism. Since she started at school Honey has been an inspiration to us.

“She also so infinitely creative; no-one quite knows what Thursday’s concert has in store. I just know it will be a visual as well as an audio feast.”

Miss Childs, who hopes to have a career in events management, said the exact format of the concert is secret asthe aim is to surprise and delight the audience.

She has got a number of local businesses on board: Balaam’s Music is promoting the event and selling tickets; Rojo Art and Sunrise are supplying decorations; and Personal Computer Services is providing lighting.

Miss Childs has raised more than £1,000 for the NDCS from her previous two concerts.

Tickets for Thursday’s concert, at 7.30pm in the Foundation Room, cost £6.