Edinburgh Division held a ‘Meet the Police’ event today in the Scottish Parliament for the Deaf community and BSL users.
A variety of topics were discussed ranging from the role of the police, hate crime, home security and online safety.
The presentation was delivered by two Police Scotland officers with BSL skills, PS Grant Robertson (E Division), and PC Stephanie Rose (PPCW).
This event allowed members of the community to communicate directly with a police officer. We were very pleased to see a great turn out and some very good questions were put to officers.
A future event will be planned in the coming months, but in the meantime if any member of the Deaf community, or a BSL user needs to contact the police, we can be reached in an emergency using the ‘999 BSL Emergency Video Relay Service for Deaf People’ and for any non-emergencies (101) via the ContactScotlandBSL Video Relay Service.
Further details can be obtained via the links below:
The first week in May is Deaf Awareness Week, when we celebrate Deaf culture and raise awareness about what we can do to make society more deaf-friendly.
Did your readers know that a GCSE in British Sign Language (BSL) is being developed, so young people can learn it in school? Here at the National Deaf Children’s Society we’re working hard to make that happen as soon as possible – we expect students to be able to study it from 2025.
BSL is a fantastic language and great fun to learn, but there are many other ways you can become more deaf-aware too. Here are just a few really simple deaf awareness tips that anyone can do anywhere right now (there are more on our website):
1. Speak clearly and naturally, it makes lip-reading much easier
2. Don’t cover your mouth or turn away and make sure your face is fully visible, and avoid eating or chewing. All these things can make understanding very difficult
3. Be visual. Try pointing, using gesture, writing things down or typing on your phone – there are even apps now
4. Never give up and say “It doesn’t matter” – because it does!
The National Deaf Children’s Society supports the UK’s 50,000 deaf children and young people. For anyone needing advice, support or information about deafness, please call our free Helpline on 0808 800 8880 or visit our website, www.ndcs.org.uk
Tickets are now available for the special whisky experience with support from Deaf Action
To mark Deaf Awareness Week (1-7 May 2023), Johnnie Walker Princes St, Edinburgh’s Five Star Whisky Attraction, has created a new edition of one of its most popular whisky tasting experiences, with assistance from British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters from Deaf Action.
Taking place on May 5 2023, guests will enjoy a specially curated 90-minute tasting led by a whisky specialist, alongside a BSL interpreter with the support of Deaf Action. The Whisky Explorers: British Sign Language Editionwill offer those using BSL a chance to enjoy a specially curated sensory experience at the venue, which was recently named the Best Whisky Experience in the World by Whisky Magazine.
Guests will be taken on a 90-minute exploration of Scotland’s liquid landscape, sampling a stunning collection of drams from iconic regions including Islay, the Highlands and Speyside. They will also have the opportunity to savour a very special Lowland grain whisky, exclusive to Johnnie Walker Princes Street.
Building an inclusive and modern visitor experience has been a core focus of Johnnie Walker Princes Street from its inception, and this new experience is the start of regular opportunities for the deaf community created by the team. The business worked with Euan’s Guide to ensure the building and its various experiences are fully accessible, and the venue is fitted with an induction loop system for those who use hearing aids.
This new tutored tasting which is due to be rolled out throughout the year, is another stride forward for the world-renowned experience’s inclusivity goals. Johnnie Walker has worked closely with Deaf Action and a native BSL using consultant to ensure the experience is tailored to the needs of deaf BSL users and those hard of hearing.
Tony Bradford, Johnnie Walker Princes Street experience team, said:“We have worked closely with groups and charity organisations since before our doors were even open to ensure we are as accessible and welcoming to all communities.
“From offering complimentary tickets for carers, as well as the installation of our ground floor Changing Places toilet, we pride ourselves on being able to cater for guests who may have different access requirements.
“It’s been brilliant working with the Deaf Action team to create this bespoke, top-notch whisky experience for those using BSL. No stone has been left unturned in our planning for the Whisky Explorers: British Sign language Edition, and we look forward to continuing our journey to ensure Johnnie Walker Princes Street can be enjoyed by all.”
Lauren McAnna, Community Services Manager at Deaf Action, said:“In today’s world, businesses must be aware of the various markets they are catering for, and Johnnie Walker Princes Street have done just that by developing its Whisky Explorers: British Sign language Edition.
“The commitment from the team to making this the best experience possible for those using BSL, has been extremely heartening, and we look forward to continuing the relationship and creating more experiences for deaf and hard of hearing groups going forward.”
Tickets will include 10% off other retail purchases of up to £250 as well as for drinks in the bar on the day of the experience, and for up to 7 days afterwards (T&Cs apply). To redeem, guests must show their confirmation ticket to a member of staff at the till.
For more information and to book an experience, please visit:
The National Deaf Children’s Society is delighted the Scottish Labour Party yesterday unanimously passed a motion pledging crucial support to deaf children during their early years.
If deafness is not identified early enough, deaf children may miss out on vital early language development, the opportunity to learn British Sign Language (BSL) from a young age or the chance to have a hearing aid or implant fitted. This can have a lifelong impact on the ability of deaf children to communicate.
The National Deaf Children’s Society wants to ensure no deaf child in Scotland waits more than six weeks from referral to audiology to getting a hearing test, as set out in the current Scottish Quality standards for Paediatric Audiology. However, in some parts of Scotland the average wait time can be a year.
Welcoming the support of the Scottish Labour Party, Mark Ballard, the National Deaf Children’s Society’s Head of Policy and Influencing for Scotland, said: “If we fail to get paediatric audiology services right for deaf children when deafness is first identified we then risk failing deaf children for life.
“Because of the delays some families face, we can end up with the shocking scenario where children who might have benefited from using hearing aids from the very earliest years miss out simply because of delays in testing and treatment.
“Unfortunately, opportunities to learn language in this vital period of development once missed cannot be reversed.”
Scottish Labour councillor Ben Smith (Paisley Northwest, Renfrewshire), who put forward the motion, said: “We were all shocked learn how deaf children were failed by audiology services at NHS Lothian.
“This cannot be allowed to happen again. Waiting times for deaf children to access audiology testing and treatment are still too long. Early support is crucial to help deaf children thrive.
“Scottish Labour is proud to support deaf children and young people in Scotland.”
Mr Ballard added: “Every deaf child should get the high-quality support they need from the earliest years. We need robust quality assurance mechanism to make sure there can be no more scandals like NHS Lothian.
“With the right support deaf children can get best opportunities to develop language skills and should be able to make informed choices around hearing aids, implants and learning BSL.”
The 999 BSL UK emergency video relay service for deaf British Sign Language (BSL) users has been launched today, Friday 17 June.
The service gives deaf BSL users the option of calling the emergency services using BSL, via the 999 BSL website and app.
Susan Daniels OBE, Chief Executive of the National Deaf Children’s Society, said: “Calling for help quickly is vital in an emergency and no one should ever have to worry about communication when they do so. 999 BSL should remove these barriers, so we strongly welcome its launch.
“It’s now crucial that the developers do everything they can to make sure that every BSL user in the country knows it exists.
“We’d urge every deaf child and young person who uses BSL to download the app without delay. Having the option to get help so quickly, in their first language, could one day prove to be a life-saver.”
We want to get your views about improving access to services from councils, NHS Lothian, and other public organisations. This will help us develop plans in Edinburgh and the Lothians which are linked to the BSL Act.
Drop in to see us any time between 11am – 3pm
When: Saturday 24 February 2018
Where: The Outreach Centre (next to Levels Café) 9c Holyrood Road, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 8FP
Interpreters are booked for this event
Working in partnership: The City of Edinburgh Council, East Lothian Council, Edinburgh College, Midlothian Council, NHS Lothian, Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Services, West Lothian Council and Deaf Action.
