This website has a sign language video channel called 11-UP. Its for kids and young adults from 11-UP. Learn about things that keep you on top of the game.

LATEST NEWS

GRANDPARENTS AND RELATIVES SOCIAL SIGN EVENING

Following on from the success of our September event a Social Sign Evening is being held on Thursday 12th March 2009 from 7.30pm – 9.30pm at The Wishing Well Pub, Aspects Leisure Park, Longwell Green, Bristol.

Come along and meet our Deaf guests who use BSL as their first language and practise your signing skills in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. The social evening is intended for family members of deaf children to improve their signing skills and increase confidence. Please note that no creche facilities are available.

FAMILY SPORTS DAY 2009

37 children went along with their mums and dads to Family Sports Fun day at Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre at the beginning of February. They had a lot of fun doing a wide range of activities - trampoline, bouncy castle, football, table tennis, go karts and soft play. Parents enjoyed catching up and chatting with other parents. A great turn out!

Have a look at some photos of the day.

AVON AND SOMERSET POLICE COME UP TRUMPS!

On Saturday 29th November 2008 HQ CID hosted a Charity Ball at Tortworth Court Four Pillars Hotel near Wotton-Under-Edge. 140 guests attended and good fun was had by all. During the evening a raffle and auction took place which raised a magnificent £1,600 for Family Centre (Deaf Children).

DCS Geoff Anderson, Head of CID went along to Elmfield School for Deaf Children on Tuesday 20th January 2009 to present the cheque to Family Centre’s co-ordinator Jean McLaughlin.

A huge thank you to everyone at Avon and Somerset Constabulary who was involved with the fund raising and supported the event.

HELEN PARKES RUNS FOR FAMILY CENTRE (DEAF CHILDREN)

Helen Parkes has very kindly offered to raise funds for the Family Centre by running in the Bath Half Marathon on Sunday 15th march 2009. If you go along to watch, please cheer her on. She will be wearing a Family Centre T-shirt. If you would like to sponsor Helen, or run yourself in support of Family Centre, please contact the office. We’ll let you know how she gets on .........

DRAMA CLUB

A drama club for 4 – 9 year olds is being held at Centre For Deaf People, Kings Square, Bristol on Saturday mornings from 10am – 11.30am. The course runs from 31st January 2009 to 4th April 2009 and there are still places availaible. Please email Monica Cherryson on mcherryson@hotmail.com for an application form and details of the cost.

SPORTS FUN AT BRADLEY STOKE LEISURE CENTRE, BRISTOL
SUNDAY 1ST FEBRUARY 2009

This event was great fun and 18 families with 23 deaf children and 12 hearing siblings turned up to take part in the activities on offer including trampolining, go-karting and soft-play.

Watch this space for photos.

6 WEEKLY PLAY AND CHAT / JOINT MAILING LIST

In order for our children to make and keep friends within the deaf community as they grow up and go to different schools, we are setting up a mailing list and a get together every 6 weeks alternating between Saturdays and Sundays.

The mailing list could be used to post questions and generally stay in contact with other parents, as well as being used to come up with a venue for the next play session and chat.

The next get- togethers will be held as follows:-

Saturday 28th March 2009
1pm – 3pm at Hop, Skip and Jump, Grimsbury Road, Kingswood, Bristol. Approximate age range 0-8 years.

Indoor play area
Art and craft room
Small soft play area
Light and dark sensory rooms
Outdoor play area.

Free entry

Donations to the Hop, Skip and Jump Centre gratefully accepted.

If you are interested in being on the mailing list then please email back Monica.

CYCLING PROFICIENCY TRAINING

We are considering providing cycling proficiency training for deaf children and their siblings aged 10+. The training which would last 5 – 6 days and take place over weekends and school holidays would lead to a cycling proficiency test with a qualified examiner. Children would need to provide their own roadworthy bikes.

If you are interested in this scheme please email Monica Cherryson mcherryson@hotmail.com or contact the Family Centre’s Yate office.

SIGN CLASSES

Parents and family members BSL Support Group is continuing to be run by Monica Cherryson, our Deaf Child Link Worker, on Thursdays from 10 a.m. – 12 noon at the Family Centre (Deaf Children) room, Elmfield School during term time. This class is suitable for all levels of BSL and there is an opportunity to chat and socialise with other parents.

A pre-Level 3 British Sign Language class for parents of deaf children is also being held at Elmfield School. The class runs on Mondays from 1.30pm – 3pm during term time with tutor Richard Carter. Just turn up if you are interested.

Emersons Green Grandparents and Relatives Sign Class has started again on Monday evenings from 6.30pm – 8pm with tutor Ray Hampshire at Emersons Green Village Hall. The class is running for 11 weeks from 5th January 2009 to 23rd March 2009. There will be no class on 16th February 2009.

Keynsham Grandparents and Relatives Sign Class has started again at St John Baptist church hall in Keynsham but this time it is being held on Thursday evenings from 6.30pm – 8pm with tutor Louise Pocock. The classes are running from 8th January 2009 to 2nd April 2009 but there will be no classes on 19th February or 12th March.

We would like to thank South Gloucestershire County Council for funding the Emersons Green sign class.

For further information on any of these classes, or to book a place, please contact the FCDC office.

THANK YOU!

Family Centre (Deaf Children) would like to say a big Thank You to all our supporters who raised money or who donated their time in 2008 including the Nani Huyu Trust, Henleaze Cub Pack, and Mr Wilkins’ Shilling, a Ladies Clog Morris Team who have sent donations to us recently. The money will help us continue to provide services which build confidence, improve communication skills among families and help reduce the feeling of isolation often experienced by a child with hearing loss.