A charity has given the thumbs up to schools in Dunstable who learned to sign and sing to raise money to help deaf children in the UK and Uganda. The schools took part in sign2sing, a fundraising event organised by the Deaf Health Charity SignHealth.
Children from Watling Lower School, St Christopher’s Academy, Dunstable Icknield Lower School and Hadrian Academy all learned a specially written song with signs. The schools raised money in various ways, including each bringing in a £1, holding a musical coffee morning and wearing a hat or scarf to school.
Deaf children, on average, leave school with a low reading age and miss out on the key messages about healthy relationships given through mainstream media and by word-of-mouth. SignHealth run workshops for deaf children in schools, delivered by deaf people in British Sign Language, which help children understand what abuse is and what to do if they need help.
SignHealth also works in Uganda, where deaf children are often isolated due to a lack of knowledge of sign language and cultural taboos surrounding deafness. The charity also supports schools, where children and their families learn to sign, and works to tackle the stigma of deafness through education and awareness raising.
SignHealth’s Acting Chief Executive Gary Cottrell said: “SignHealth is very grateful to the schools in Dunstable for taking part in sign2sing 2016. The money they have raised will make a huge difference to the lives of deaf people and help us continue our important work.”
To donate to help SignHealth’s work go to www.signhealth.org.uk
