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December 13, 2005
Sign, choirs of angels
A band of volunteers signed up to take part in a Christmas carol concert with a difference. As part of a campaign to raise awareness of British Sign Language (BSL), a choir performed some of the most popular Christmas carols using hand movements, as shoppers at Norwich's Castle Mall shopping centre watched on.
Silent Night, Away in a Manger and Mistletoe and Wine were just three of the sign-sational songs performed on Saturday.
The choir, who were supported by the Norwich City Concert Band, used simple, but sometimes intricate, hand shapes to sign the famous words to traditional classics.
"We're an independent group led by Jennifer Aldridge, who's deaf," said Sandra Massen, a member of the British Sign Language (BSL) Signing Club Choir.
"For the past three years we've been coming here and raising awareness of signing for the deaf. It's a visual impact thing so we need to be bright and have hands out. We have to interpret the songs as best we can because some of the songs don't match the signing. In sign language we don't use little words like 'and' or 'on' and so we have to interpret it slightly differently."
It is the fourth time the signing choir have performed their carol concert at the Castle Mall and they will have other concerts at Horning Village Hall and Norwich City College before the year is out.
The group, which meets every Monday at the Vauxhall Centre, helps to raise money for the Silver Road-based Norfolk Deaf Association through the events.
"People quite like coming and watching it and we usually raise a reasonable amount of money," said the volunteer.
Cym Cant, a former county councillor for Mousehold and trustee of the NDA, said: “It's really wonderful to have the opportunity to come out and do this signing because a lot of people are not really aware of what people can do.
"In this day and age so many people are hard of hearing and it gives them an understanding that there are things for them as well."
Sean O'Neill, 52, from Loddon, was one of the dozens of people who gathered to watch the concert.
"I think it's excellent, absolutely excellent," he said. "There's more and more of it on TV now - plays and musicals with signing. I think it's terrific."
Another person enjoying the concert was Ozzy Gorman, a 14-year-old student at the Norwich High School for Girls.
"I think it's really amazing,” she said. “I think what they are doing is really sweet. I've never seen anything like this here before."
Source: http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/content/news/story.aspx?brand=ENOnline&category=News&tBrand=ENOnline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED12%20Dec%202005%2013%3A29%3A42%3A827
Posted by 4HL on December 13, 2005 6:59 AM
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