Deaf heritage celebrated

Nottinghamshire Deaf Society (NDS) has launched the project as the culmination of its 125th anniversary celebrations.

The charity has received £60,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund for the ‘Hearing Deaf Voices’ project to celebrate the rich cultural history of deaf people from across the city and county.

The new project will engage a wide audience within the signing community to reveal the culture of Deaf British Sign Language (BSL) users.

Participants will share their memories and experiences and the audience will learn more about positive contributions the deaf community has made to society through a series of displays and exhibitions.

Nottinghamshire Deaf Society celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2015. The charity works to create a society in which all deaf people can participate fully and works with Nottinghamshire’s deaf community in its Grade Two listed building on Forest Road West.

The society is embedded in the rich and diverse culture of Nottingham’s deaf community and this important project will reveal the untold stories of the past 125 years.

Commenting on the award, NDS’s chief executive, Irene Andrews, said:“The launch of this new heritage project is a wonderful conclusion to our 125th anniversary celebrations and will bring to life the positive contributions made by deaf people in Nottinghamshire.

“It is a fitting tribute to our organisation that the Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded us £60,000 to work with the deaf community so that their stories can be shared and celebrated for many years to come.”

Jonathan Platt, head of HLF East Midlands, said: “Spanning 125 years, the history of Nottinghamshire’s deaf communities is currently hidden in countless documents, films, artefacts and people’s memories.

“This is a hugely important project that will greatly aid people’s knowledge and understanding of this history and what it means for the modern day. We’re delighted to support it with National Lottery players’ money and look for forward to seeing what is achieved.”