Category: Signing Choir

Music to Deaf Ears

  By ,

Congratulations to Evelyn Anne Riggs on passing her Music Teachers Board, Performance Keyboard Grade 1 examination, with Merit. Evelyn has been deaf since birth and struggled in early life due to a lack of suitable technology for her type of hearing loss and several failed operations from the age of 10. Then, 40 years ago in 1982, she became one of the first people in the UK to be fitted with a Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA) that she says transformed her life.

Evelyn Anne Riggs

Evelyn has a deep passion for music and learned to play piano and keyboard. She has a beautiful singing voice and is a member of the voice choir at St Clements Church, Poole. Evelyn studied British Sign Language (BSL) part time, at Bournemouth and Poole College, achieving her Level 1 qualification taught by Paul Kirby and continues to develop her skills, attending workshops with WDDA. In 2011 she became one of the founding members of the WDDA Signing Choir, Significance and subsequently, St Clements Signs in Worship Group from 2015.

For both, she is always the first to arrive and last to leave at weekly practices and performances. Her determination, unruffled and stoical character makes her a wonderful role model for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people in performing songs and music in these diverse and expressive forms. Well done Evelyn and all good wishes for your continuing development and sharing of your passion.

‘Family Fun Day’ brings BSL to Boscombe Chine Gardens!

  By , ,

Sunday 23 June 2019 saw WDDA tutors, trustees and supporters take our ‘Sign for Change’ campaign out in to the community as we hosted our second family fun day in Boscombe Chine Gardens.   The aim of the event was to help bring hearing and Deaf children and families together and to help breakdown some of the barriers to communication by introducing families to BSL and I think it’s safe to say that we did just that!  Our very own award winning Signature Sign Choir took centre stage performing a repertoire of songs, entertaining the crowds and engaging passers by and members of our Junior Sign Choir made a real impact with their first ever public performance.  We had face painting, arts and crafts, a bric a brac stall, a Teddy Tombola, a fabulously entertaining magic show performed by local magician Andy Walker and a whole lot of cake (thank you to those who kindly donated homemade cakes on the day).

We are currently fundraising to support our work teaching Deaf parents of young pupils to deliver to Deaf Awareness & Communication training to local Nursery and Primary Schools in Dorset.  Thanks to all who joined us on Sunday and kindly donated, helping us to raise £184.11  Our target is £5,000 – over the course of the past 12 months we have raised a whopping £2,976.26 with grants from AFCB Cherries Community Fund & South West Foundation,  donations from Asda Green Token Charity Scheme, BH Coastal Lottery and PayPal Giving Fund and through our own fundraising events and the generosity of our supporters.  THANK YOU!

Thank you to: Signature Sign Choir, WDDA Junior Sign Choir, Andy the Magician,  Kate from Rainbow Face Painting and Body Art, Bournemouth Deaf Club, Friends of Boscombe Chine Gardens and all the WDDA trustees, tutors and supporters for donating their time and energy to support the event and an extra special thank you to all the children and families who came together to make the event such a success.

 

Festive Fun and Filming!

  By ,

A big THANK YOU to Mark from The Magical Storybox, Stef from Interpreters Dorset, Significance Sign Choir and Glen from Rainbow Arts Dorset CIC for so generously donating their time and services for our Family Friendly Festive Fundraiser that took place at Bournemouth Deaf Club on Saturday 15 December 2018.  Our BSL interpreted magic show went down a treat with children and adults alike and the little ones loved the Christmassy glitter  tattoos!

Click on the link below to see the lovely film produced by BBC South Today of our families performing a a beautiful version of Silent Night with our award winning sign choir Significance at the event.  This film has now had over 11k views on Facebook!

BBC South – Silent Night

We’d love to hold more family friendly events for d/Deaf and hearing children and families in 2019 but can only do it with your support.  Thanks again to everyone who joined us, it was so lovely to meet you all.

Join us for a ‘Sign-a-Long’ in Boscombe Chine Gardens!

  By ,

The Alternate Routes – ‘Nothing More’ signed by George Raggett

Fancy joining our award winning Signing Choir ‘Significance’ for a ‘Sign-a-Long’ on Sunday 22 July?

We’re aiming to bring the community together to help breakdown some of the barriers to communication and what better way to introduce families to BSL than to learn a song and simple signs, and perform along with the song TOGETHER!  You’ll have lots of fun while helping Wiltshire and Dorset Deaf Association to raise money to support our work teaching Deaf parents of young pupils to deliver Deaf Awareness & Communication training to local Nursery and Primary Schools in Dorset.

The song we have chosen is ‘Nothing More’ by The Alternate Routes.  To give you a taster, and a chance to have a go at learning to ‘Sign-a-Long’, our very talented Tutor and Trustee George has kindly filmed this video for you.  Let us know how you get on, even better – why not post a video clip of you signing to music on our Facebook event page and help encourage others to join us for the big ‘Sign-a-Long’ in Boscombe Chine Gardens on Sunday 22 July! https://www.facebook.com/events/431754227270904/

“we are how we treat each other, and nothing more.”

Congratulations to Significance Sign Choir!

  By

Huge congratulations to Significance Sign Choir who came 3rd Place in the second National Signing Choir competition 2018 that took place on Saturday 19th May 2018 at Medway Park in Gillingham, Kent.

Wondering what a sign choir actually involves?

They are choirs that perform like any other choir but rather than sing with their voices, they sing with their hands in British Sign Language, while telling a visual story behind the song they are “Singing”.  Singers express the song through the pitch, tone and emotion of their voices, Signing Song performers do the same with their hands, body and facial expressions, it is a visual spectacular for the senses.

Want to find out more?

Significance Sign Choir is part of WDDA and practice at Bournemouth Deaf Club.

You can follow Significance Sign Choir on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/SignifianceSignChoir/

  • JustGiving