A £5,000 funding boost will help Eastwood’s DH Lawrence Museum bring the life and times of the celebrated author to more people, through a project to introduce British Sign Language provision, alongside other accessibility improvements.

The funding has been secured following a successful bid to Museum Development Midlands, using public funding from Arts Council England, and will bring a more complete museum experience to people with hearing impairments and other accessibility requirements.

As part of the project, the museum’s interpretation boards are set to be replaced, making them easier to read and understand with the addition of pictograms and improved colour contrast.

The boards will also have a QR code to take visitors to videos that translate the text into British Sign Language, which is often easier to understand for people with hearing impairments

Funding will help introduce British sign language provision to visitors of the DH Lawrence Museum. Photo: Google

placeholder image — Funding will help introduce British sign language provision to visitors of the DH Lawrence Museum. Photo: Google

Coun Teresa Cullen (Brox All), portfolio holder for health and leisure, said: “It’s so important to us to be able to make culture accessible to as many people as possible, and this funding has allowed the museum to offer better experiences to our audiences.

“By removing barriers and enhancing what we can provide, we’re ensuring that more people can connect with the stories, collections and heritage that make our museum so special.”

Carolyn Melbourne, museum and collections officer, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded this funding, which will allow us to make our museum more inclusive and welcoming for everyone.

"British Sign Language provision is an important step towards breaking down barriers and helping more people to engage with the museum’s stories.”