Handforth Residents Can Now Learn Sign Language On Their Daily Walk

An innovative new sign has been put up at the multi-award winning Handforth Railway Station in Cheshire, thanks to a partnership with a sensory loss charity and a community group.

Those who pass through the station can now practice their skills in British Sign Language (BSL) by spelling HANDFORTH using fingerspelling.

The idea was put forward by Mike Bishop, founder of the Friends of Handforth Station (FoHS), to Cheshire’s sensory loss organisation, DSN.

Mike, who established the group in 1996 said: “We were looking at ways in the first lockdown to continue to work with the community and we thought it would be a great non-contact, socially distanced activity people could participate in.”

Working together, the BSL fingerspelling boards went up in November 2020, replacing older art boards at the station. They now include information on both FoHS and DSN.

Mike added: “The boards have been very popular and even now in the third national lockdown, local people are using their daily exercise to walk by the boards and practice their BSL which is exactly what the installation was intended for.”

Whilst FoHS welcome locals to view the new boards, they are encouraging people from out of the area to follow government guidelines and sit tight until they can visit the picturesque Cheshire visitor spot until it’s safe to do so.

Gill Reeder, executive at DSN said: “We have been so pleased to have worked on this project with such a community focused organisation despite the global pandemic!

“As an organisation we work towards a world where people with a sensory loss can communicate effectively and live healthy independent and fulfilling lives and this is one way to help with that mission.”

DSN is a charity for sensory loss which supports more than 100,000 people with a hearing or sight loss in Cheshire and North Wales. The organisation, which turns 45 this year, also operates courses in BSL across all levels and has several interpreters who work daily with the Deaf community with activities such as visiting their GP or talking to their bank.

Gill added: “We very much look forward to when lockdown is lifted so we can all visit and see the community giving BSL a try!”

If you would like to learn BSL or have questions about how to support or get involved with DSN, contact: dsn@dsnonline.co.uk