This could be interesting, I thought, as I sat down for my Saturday evening viewing. Pigs battling it out, a kind of “Porkie’s Got Talent” and a plethora of terrible bacon-related puns from Dermot? Alas, it was one of many subtitling errors on Saturday’s opening to the Read More
Author Archive
X Factor: looking for pig talent
August 23rd, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
Posted in Deaf, Uncategorized |
New blog from deaf young person
August 17th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
I have competition: a young deaf person, who did some work experience for the National Deaf Children’s Society recently, has set up her own blog, called Feel the Breeze. Already she’s been talking about subtitles, the underground and Ryanair – which incidentally happen to be the Read More
Posted in Deaf, Uncategorized |
Why never to say “Oh, it doesn’t matter” to a deaf person
August 13th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
Image courtesy of NDCS A posting by Tiger Mother on the National Deaf Children’s Society website reminded me of a key cardinal rule with deaf children (and adults). If they miss something and ask you to repeat, never EVER say: “Oh, it doesn’t matter.” As an adult, I Read More
Posted in Deaf, Uncategorized |
Academies Bill becomes law and something about sausages
July 29th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
I was reminded of the old saying this week that laws are like sausages; you really don’t want to know how they are made… The Academies Bill is now law, meaning that lots of schools will soon be able to convert to academies, and be independent from local authority control. I personally Read More
Posted in Deaf, Uncategorized |
Making audiology youth-friendly
July 14th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
Image courtesy of NDCS Confession time: until I was around 25, I didn’t have a clue how to read an audiogram. If you asked me as a child, how deaf I was, I probably wouldn’t have been able to tell you. Ask me to retube my hearing aid, and I probably would have gone running to Mummy. Read More
Posted in Audiology, Deaf, Uncategorized |
How I conquered the 3 Peaks for NDCS
July 6th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
This time last week, when it dawned upon me that I would be attempting to climb the three highest mountains in Great Britain within a few days, I remember thinking to myself that I say “yes” to new challenges far too easily. Now, I reckon I should say “yes” more Read More
Posted in Deaf, Uncategorized |
Deaf Awareness Week in Parliament
July 2nd, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
Image courtesy of NDCS The NDCS/RNID parliamentary reception on Wednesday was a huge success. 57 MPs came, the deaf children, young people and adults were fantastic and the cakes were lovely. I was in charge of making sure the deaf children and young people were fully involved, but I was Read More
Posted in Deaf, Uncategorized |
Deaf Awareness Week in Wales
June 29th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
Image courtesy of NDCS Deaf Awareness Week is being celebrated across the UK and over in Wales, NDCS Cymru has been busy asking lots of young deaf children to draw up images of their own deaf awareness and communication tips. The end result is a rather snazzy poster, which is now being sent out Read More
Posted in Deaf, Uncategorized |
Happy Deaf Awareness Week!
June 28th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
Image courtesy of NDCS Well, first day of Deaf Awareness Week 2010 is now over. The National Deaf Children’s Society has launched an appeal for the best deaf awareness tips on its website, Twitter and Facebook and already some really good ones have been rolling in, such as: * DO make the Read More
Posted in Deaf, Uncategorized |
The calm before Deaf Awareness Week
June 25th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
Next week is going to be all about me. And the other 8,999,999 people who are deaf or hard of hearing in the UK. Yes, it’s Deaf Awareness Week and this year’s theme is “Look at me”. The idea is to talk about simple deaf awareness tips throughout the week – like Read More
Posted in Deaf, Uncategorized |
Academies: good or bad news for deaf children?
June 2nd, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
The Queen was dragged away from her TV last week to come and open Parliament for the new Government and to read a speech written for her by the Government on new laws coming through. I wonder if one day the Queen will just say “read your own speech, I want to watch Loose Women” but Read More
Posted in Deaf, Education, Uncategorized |
University access for deaf students fail
May 26th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
Image courtesy of the Northern Echo An interesting article appeared in Guardian yesterday about Rosie Watson, a deaf mature student, who took Durham University to court for breaking disability discrimination laws. On the one hand, it’s a very inspiring story about a gutsy deaf person who Read More
Posted in Deaf, Uncategorized |
Enjoy the NDCS pub quiz – from the comfort of your desk!
May 24th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
Well, last Wednesday’s fundraising pub quiz – that I mentioned last week – was great fun. Such was the excitement that I was unable to write about it for a few days. I researched and came up with the questions myself so took an evil pleasure in watching people’s brains Read More
Posted in Deaf, Uncategorized |
Why I’m doing the NDCS 3 Peaks Challenge
May 19th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
10k? Been there, done that. Half-marathon? Ditto. Marathon. Easy-peasy. I’ve now signed up to a new challenge – the 3 Peaks challenge! In July, I’ll be climbing Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon in 24 hours as part of a fool-hardy team of 5 walkers and 2 drivers. And we’re doing it for Read More
Posted in Deaf |
“Yes, I’m deaf…”
May 18th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
Image courtesy of NDCS I thought I would share a little anecdote from last weekend where I was busy volunteering at a National Deaf Children’s Society “Getting Ahead” training weekend in Epping Forest. As always, it was great to meet some deaf youngsters and see them in action learning Read More
Posted in Deaf |
NDCS election pledge a big success
May 11th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
Image courtesy of NDCS Sad political geek that I am, I stayed up all night on Thursday to see the election results. If you think that’s bad, at the same time, I was ticking off the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) list of politicians who had signed the NDCS election pledge for deaf Read More
Posted in Deaf, Uncategorized |
Who will make deaf children matter in the general election?
May 5th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
All the newspapers seem to be busy publicly endorsing political parties, so I guess it’s only fair and proper that this blog, as an equally important media outlet, advises you on who you should vote for tomorrow. This blog therefore endorses the following party for the general election Read More
Posted in Deaf, Uncategorized |
Urgent! Time running out to contact your election candidates
April 29th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
Image courtsesy of NDCS Well, in a week’s time, the UK will be going to the polls to decide who will form the next Government. It means that time is running out for you to help make deaf children matter during the election by asking your own local candidates to sign the National Deaf Read More
Posted in Deaf, Uncategorized |
Leading politician reminisces on cochlear implants
April 29th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
I admit it, I’m a wibbly-wobbly flip-flopping Guardian reader. And whilst reading the paper on Saturday, I noticed that George Osborne, shadow Chancellor for the Conservative party, was doing some quick-fire questions and was asked: “in your role as an MP, of what are you most Read More
Posted in Deaf, Uncategorized |
David Cameron challenged on special educational needs and inclusion
April 28th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
Lord loves a troublemaker. Yesterday, special educational needs and disability made its first major appearance on the election campaign trail when a father of a disabled son heckled David Cameron, leader of the Conservative party, in front of the TV cameras. His main point of objection? That the Read More
Posted in Deaf, Uncategorized |
Update: the amazing Major Phil Packer completes the London Marathon
April 27th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
Phil Packer did it! 26 miles in 26 hours for 26 different charities. A whopping achievement given the severe injuries he picked up in the Iraq war. After blogging about it last week, I popped along on Sunday morning to see Phil walk the 3rd mile with deaf young person Jade, for the National Deaf Read More
Posted in Deaf, Uncategorized |
Update: BSL still not equal in status to other languages, said Government
April 20th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
Image courtesy of www.blanchenevile.org.uk Those with long memories might remember from a previous blog posting that the Government was proposing to introducing new laws which would require primary school children to learn a moderen foreign language. The National Deaf Children’s Society felt Read More
Posted in Advocacy, Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing |
Are we making deaf children matter in the general election?
April 16th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
Image courtesy of NDCS Well, the National Deaf Children’s Society’s campaign to make deaf children matter at the general election has been live now for nearly 2 weeks. So how many candidates have signed the NDCS election pledge for deaf children so far? A whopping 440. All this has come Read More
Posted in Deaf, Uncategorized |
Stats on cinema access in UK
April 15th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
Image courtesy of NDCS I popped along to a disability working group for cinemas yesterday and I was reminded that, however much I moan about cinema access, there have been big changes since I was a young person. And, compared to most other major countries, Britain is ahead of the pack. Consider Read More
Posted in Deaf, Uncategorized |
New education laws to improve education for deaf children
April 13th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
Originally uploaded to Flickr by Joep R. Yesterday, Parliament shut up shop. MPs were booted out. Maybe even chucked into the River Thames. But before they all went back to their constituencies, last week they were busy trying to pass lots of laws before Parliament dissolved. And two new Read More
Posted in Deaf, Education, Uncategorized |
Radio programme about deafness – accessible!
April 9th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
Word reaches me that BBC Radio 4 will be showing a programme about deafness this afternoon THAT WILL BE ACCESSIBLE TO DEAF PEOPLE. How modern! Apparently, signed interpretation and a transcript will be on the web at the same time as broadcast on the radio. If true, it will be fantastic and make Read More
Posted in Deaf, Uncategorized |
Vote for deaf children!
April 8th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
As Gordon Brown put it, it wasn’t exactly a very well-kept secret, but we now know for sure that a general election will be taking place on the 6th May. So how can we make deaf children matter during the election? Well, you can email your local candidates in your area. The National Deaf Read More
Posted in Deaf, Uncategorized |
What do deaf young people think NDCS campaign priorities should be?
March 31st, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
Image courtesy of NDCS I blogged last week about my weekend with an inspiring and fantastic bunch of deaf young people from across the UK who came to London to listen to me blather on about campaigns. Well, during the weekend, we took the opportunity to ask the group what they thought the Read More
Posted in Deaf, Uncategorized |
Anti-disabled language
March 30th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
I saw yesterday that Mencap have successfully managed to get Ofcom to review an earlier ruling that basically suggested it was OK for Channel 4 to use the term “retard”. This was after 700 of Mencap’s supporters wrote to Ofcom, a nice example of a successful campaign in action. Here’s Read More
Posted in Advocacy, Deaf, Hearing Loss |
Response to story on abuse at deaf school in America
March 29th, 2010 by Campaigning for deaf children
There was a rather sad reminder last week that deaf children are more likely to be abused, when news broke of a school in America where 200 deaf children had been abused over two decades from the 1950s. Reading the papers, it was hard to tell what was most distressing. The seemingly woeful lack Read More
