Rose Ayling-Ellis, who is deaf, has admitted the coronavirus pandemic has been "challenging" because she cannot lip read when people are wearing face masks, and as a result the star has found it "quite hard" to communicate with her fellow 'EastEnders' actors at times.
L to r: Tracy Nicholls, Dave Dancer, Vicky Rogers and Eve O Connor TRADERS in Halesowen have been given see-through face masks to help communication during deaf awareness week by the town s BID team. The team, now based in the new Hobbs building, secured funding to provide the face masks from the Coronavirus Community Support Fund, distributed by The National Lottery Community Fund. The masks allow people who are hard of hearing or deaf to lip-read and understand facial expressions more clearly whilst communicating with businesses across the town. Whilst the roll-out of the masks is taking place as part of Deaf Awareness Week, which is this week (May 3-9) the BID has secured enough funding to provide the re-usable masks for the next four months.
THE coronavirus pandemic has hit everyone with many different problems which no one could have seen coming a year and a half ago. While most of us dealt with dodgy internet connections and robotic Zoom voices while working from home and socialising with friends and family, for some, the lockdown has created a myriad of issues which have affected their overall development. Seven-year-old Maia Sharp is a primary two pupil at Hallside Primary School in Cambuslang. Maia was diagnosed as moderately deaf at a very young age after implications with birth trauma following an emergency section.
Pic: Gordon Terris Emma Sharp, Maia’s mum, said: “She has been deaf since a young age and has been wearing two hearing aids since 12 weeks old.
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Council introduces sign language service to customers
The news comes as the Council celebrates being part of Deaf Awareness Week that takes place from May 3 to May 9.
The SignVideo service allows customers to make BSL and ISL interpreted video calls via their tablet, smartphone, computer or laptop.
The company’s professional interpreter will relay the call in English to a member of Council’s staff in real time on a video relay system.
Through SignVideo members of the public can contact any of Council’s receptions in Strand Road in Derry and Derry Road in Strabane, The Alley Arts and Conference Centre, The Guildhall, Visit Derry Visitor Information Centre, The Tower Museum and the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registrar Offices and avail of the interpretation service.