Introduction Welcome to Deaf Access Bedfordshire. We are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information. Information We Collect We may collect and process the following data about you: Personal identification information(Name, email address, phone number, etc.) Demographic information (Age, gender, etc.) Technical data (IP address, browser type, etc.) How We Use Your Information We use the information we collect in the following ways: To provide and manage our services To communicate with you, including responding to your inquiries To improve our website and services To comply with legal obligations Data Security We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. We have implemented suitable physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online. Sharing Your Information We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer your personal information to outside parties except as required by law. Your Data Protection Rights You have the right to: Access the personal data we hold about you Request correction of any inaccurate data Request deletion of your personal data Object to the processing of your data Request the transfer of your data to another service provider Changes to This Privacy Policy We may update this policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new policy on our website. Contact Us If you have any questions about this privacy policy, please contact us at: Email: info@deafaccessbedfordshire.org.uk Privacy Statement

Our Team We take great pride in our dedicated team of trustees and staff who work tirelessly to support our deaf community. Our team is composed of passionate individuals, each bringing their unique skills and expertise to ensure we deliver the best services possible. Board of Trustees Our trustees include two profoundly deaf individuals, two parents of deaf children, and a registered BSL interpreter, with 80% of the team having a disability. They bring valuable lived experiences, from personal experience of deafness to supporting deaf children and breaking communication barriers. Their skills span social work, IT, finance, community engagement, interpreting, marketing, event planning, and leadership, enabling us to effectively meet the diverse needs of our community. Catherine Wright Founder & Chair of Trustees Helene Bolton Trustee & RSLI Claire Jones Trustee Ian Dellbridge Trustee Becky James Trustee Our Staff We currently have a team of two, paid, part time staff, who support and are supported by a team of freelancers and volunteers. We will be recruiting a third team member to fill a part time admin and community support role, in 2025, so if you're interested in working with us, get in touch: info@accessbedford.org.uk Manager Jo Emmerson Jo has been working for Deaf Access Bedfordshire since 2022. As the daughter of a deaf adult, mother to a child with hearing loss and with hearing loss herself, Jo has numerous ties to the community. Jo's background is in Community Engagement, and having run her own successful business prior to joining our team, she is also well-versed in being a multi-skilled multi-tasker. She has been central to securing several grants for the charity and is passionate about bring BSL classes to Bedfordshire both to improve understanding in the hearing community and also to support families of deaf children to ensure every deaf child thrives with full access to language from birth. Project & Activities Assistant Grace Smith Grace joined the team in 2024 as a volunteer admin assistant, but quickly made herself indispensable in the design and delivery of projects for the charity. Grace is profoundly deaf following the contraction of meningitis as an infant. Grace uses a cochlear implant to assist with communication and is working towards her Level 3 BSL qualification. Grace has a background in fashion design and is putting her creative skills to use in the creation of new team t-shirts as well as revamping the charity's Social Media presence.

Support for families of deaf and hard of hearing children and deaf parents. We offer social events and Family BSL classes in Bedfordshire. Family BSL Our Family BSL and DEAFinitely Awesome Kids social events offer support, tips and connection to parents of deaf children. Most deaf children are born into hearing families, with parents who may never have met a deaf person or considered how to communicate and connect with someone who cannot hear them. We welcome deaf parents to our family groups, which are supported by BSL communicators, supporting new parents to meet other families at a similar stage and share tips, experiences and ask questions. Our sessions help parents to build their network and find their space as parents in the deaf community, to support this integral part of their child's identity and to thrive as a family. We offer regular social activities and will be bringing our FREE Family BSL classes back to Bedford in 2025. For more information, email: info@accessbedford.org.uk or check our Whats On page for upcoming events.

British Sign Language and Deaf Awareness training, courses, tasters and qualifications. BSL & Deaf Awareness Training Training & Education We offer CPD Accredited BSL and Deaf Awareness Training for Businesses, Non-profit, Education and Public/Community Groups. From 6-week BSL Foundation Courses to Bespoke Deaf Awareness training tailored to your specific needs, we can help you to make your organisation or community more welcoming, accessible and and inclusive for the 135,000 deaf people who are living, working, studying and relaxing right next to you. Let's Work Together Get in touch to discuss how we can work with you to make Bedfordshire an inclusive place to live, work, study and relax. First Name Last Name Email Message Send Thanks for submitting! Community BSL course for Signs Of Unity Event with Queen's Park Community Organisation and Pride of Place-Bedford 2024 Foundation BSL course for members of the public 2024 Community BSL course for Signs Of Unity Event held at Eagles Bookshop. Free course funded by Queen's Park Community Organisation and coordinated with Pride of Place-Bedford 2024 Bespoke Intro to BSL class for staff at Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service 2024 BSL Foundation Course for members of the public 2024 Deaf Awareness Training for staff at University of Bedford Deaf Awareness Training for Bedford Borough Council BSL Foundation Class - 2023 Bespoke 1/2 day Intro to BSL class for Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service BSL Taster Session. Free session for members of the Public in Bedford. We support Deaf BSL users to train as BSL tutors to deliver Family BSL classes, Deaf Awareness Training and BSL Courses. Our BSL courses, available to families, businesses, charities, schools, statutory organisations, and members of the public, bridge communication gaps and promote community understanding. An extraordinary legacy gift donated to us by the late Jose Harris, means that we are able to offer a limited number of free places for deaf attendees to our public BSL courses and Level 1 Qualification courses. Please contact info@accessbedford.org.uk for details. Our CPD-accredited courses help professionals fulfil their required CPD hours. Message training@accessbedford.org.uk for details of the next course. You can support us to train more deaf people to teach and to support more deaf people to learn BSL here: Donate

Our Services We are committed to empowering the deaf community through our services, ensuring the 135,000 deaf people across Bedfordshire can access the support and resources needed to thrive. DEAF SPACE Free BSL-accessible information, advice & guidance. More Info DEAF FITNESS Weekly, BSL-accessible, inclusive fitness classes. More Info DEAF COFFEE MORNING Free drop in social morning for BSL users. More Info DEAFinately AWESOME KIDS Social events, BSL classes and support. More Info DEAF WELLBEING Fully BSL-accessible workshops to share information and skills More Info BSL & DEAF AWARENESS Taster classes, foundation courses and bespoke training. More Info EVENTS & COMMUNITY Working with partners to raise awareness and promote inclusion . More Info BSL CAFE Welcoming and supportive, free BSL practice and social sessions. More Info INTERPRETING &TRANSLATION Providing qualified interpreters and high quality translations. More Info

Who are Deaf Access Bedfordshire and what do we do? Support for deaf, hard of hearing, BSL users, lip readers, hearing aid users, cochlear implant users, hearing loss. Support for adults and children. Support for families. Deaf Awareness Training for individuals, schools, nurseries, businesses and statutory organisations. BSL courses. RSLI, TSLI, Interpreters and communication support workers. About Us Deaf Access Bedfordshire is here to support around 135,000 deaf and hard of hearing people from across the County, including: Bedford Borough, Dunstable, Luton, Central Bedford, Olney, Leighton Buzzard. We also welcome visitors from Milton Keynes, St Neots, St Albans, Northampton, Cambridge, London and beyond. As a charity serving a minority community, we know that the deaf world is a small world - we welcome visitors and friends from beyond Bedfordshire as an important opportunity for us to connect with and celebrate those who have a shared cultural identity with us. 2013 A group of friends established a community group and youth social group for the deaf and hard of hearing community in Bedford, determined that their community should have better access to services, events, activities and education. 2014 Access Bedford was registered as a charity, and began working with local partners such as Health Watch and the Police to improve communication with the Deaf community, including training the Chief Inspector and a number of staff to achieve the Level 1 BSL qualification. 2015 2016 Working with Partner organisations, we hosted a fully BSL-accessible Hustings for the candidates for the 2015 General Election. Our Deaf day was well attended and a number of partners, including Bedford Borough Council , Health Watch Bedford Borough and Bedfordshire Fire And Rescue Service attended to share information with our community. 2017 Access Bedford is nominated for, and wins, the Local Heroes award for our services to the deaf community in Bedford. 2018 Access Bedford trustees are featured in the 'Women of Bedfordshire' exhibition at the Higgins Museum, Bedford . The exhibition focused particularly on the role women play in creating community. Our trustees were recognised for championing the deaf community's rights. 2019 Access Bedford recognised the need for deaf BSL-users to be able to learn how to prepare and cook nutritious, healthy, budget-friendly and delicious meals. Before she was on Morning Live , we were delighted to have Yvonne Cobb run a cooking class for our community. 2020 During the Covid-19 pandemic, Access Bedford's trustees and volunteers went above and beyond to keep our community informed and safe and to prevent isolation. From creating translations of key regulations and health information, to running online BSL cafes and offering doorstep visits to our most vulnerable service users. This effort was recognised by HM Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire and the High Sheriff of Bedfordshire . 2021 Access Bedford is delighted to receive a donation from the Cooperative society, which in turn enables us to start a 'Deaf 'Fit' group, bringing in a Deaf, BSL-using personal trainer to put our community through their paces and improve their physical and mental wellbeing. 2022 Access Bedford secures funding from Bedford and Luton Community Foundation , enabling us to appoint our first paid member of staff! We also host a deaf day and comedy evening, with special guests; Gavin Lilley and John Bishop , as part of the ITV programme 'John and Joe Bishop: Life after Deaf.' 2023 Access Bedford partners with Remark! to bring a Face to Face Level 1 BSL qualification to Bedford. The course, initially delivered by our much-missed friend, Bob Rose, is very popular, with all of the places being filled within two weeks. Every student who took part in the final exams achieved a pass, with several going on to study Level 2 and Level 3. 2024 Thanks to funding from The Harpur Trust , Access Bedford has been able to offer a series of BSL-accessible workshops for our community, on topics ranging from Dance and fitness, Diabetes and Sexual health to Mental health. We also conducted extensive research and gathered community feedback to enable us to create a 3-year strategic plan, which also resulted in a name change - as we become 'Deaf Access Bedfordshire'. 2025 Deaf Access Bedfordshire is awarded funding from The National Lottery Community Fund to enable us to move into our own office space! Working with the team at The Place Theatre , we have transformed a disused, self-contained unit into a bright, welcoming space to run the charity from. Further funding applications will see the first floor unit fitted with stair lifts and eventually a Lift, to enable everyone to access the services in our office. With our office and staffing secure for three years, we are excited to see what we can achieve for our community - watch this space! KEY FACTS Some key facts about the community we serve: 18 million deaf adults 50,000 deaf children There are estimated to be over 18 million deaf adults and approximately 50,000 deaf children in the UK today. Deaf Access Bedfordshire serves an area with a total population of 675, 599 Districts of Bedfordshire With 1 in 5 people in the UK having some form of hearing loss, that gives us a potential regional population of 135,000 deaf and hard of hearing people. We want to ensure that every deaf and hard of hearing person in our region knows where they can get support, knows how to find community and commonality and shared identity, and that they feel proud to live in Bedfordshire, confident that they will be included, welcomed and understood wherever they go and who ever they meet. Size, Diversity & Living Standards Bedford Population 173,237 Central Bedford Population 285,931 75% white British population 25% non-white British population 90% white British population 10% non-white British population Luton Population 218,045 45% white British population 55% non-white British population 51% non-deprived household 49% deprived household 54% non-deprived household 46% deprived household 41% non-deprived household 59% deprived household Luton, Bedford and Central Bedford rank 109th, 110th and 111th most deprived out of 326 regions across England. We have multiple barriers to access in our community, compounded by socioeconomic challenges, spoken language barriers, the cost of living crisis and generational trauma. The average deaf child leaves school with a reading age of nine. We need to support service providers across our region to understand these challenges and to do better. There are countless challenges for our D/deaf communities, and as a charity run by and for the community, we are very aware of where those struggles lie. However, it is important to recognise the opportunities, the positive developments in society and the strength, abilities and resilience of our community as we make plans for our place in Bedfordshire in the coming years. Our ambition for Bedfordshire is to be a region where deaf people can live, work, study, visit and age well. For it to be a place where inclusion is automatic, not asked for, and where the D/deaf and hard of hearing community are recognised for the value they bring and the contribution they make to our society.

Our FREE Information, Guidance and Advice service for the deaf community across Bedfordshire, with free access to Qualified Interpreters and Communication Support Workers. Appointment only. This is our free Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) service with access to Qualified BSL communicators and interpreters. If you have hearing loss we can help you with a wide range of personal and private matters, from finances, legal matters and medical issues, to divorce and funeral arrangements. Request an Appointment From June 2024 - May 2025 this service is funded to run one day a week by Bedford Luton Community Foundation through the Frank Branston Fund. What Is Deaf Space ? Deaf Space Testimonials All Videos All Categories Play Video Play Video 01:04 2024 Deaf Space Support Areas Play Video Play Video 00:47 Barbara Our Deaf Space Advisory Service bridges the gap in support for the deaf community that statutory services and other charities often miss due to lack of BSL skills and budget for interpreters. This service provides free access to qualified BSL Interpreters and Communication Support Workers with Information, Advice and Guidance Qualifications, helping deaf individuals navigate various life challenges. The service has been in high demand since its post-COVID reinstatement, underscoring its place as an essential service for the 135,000 deaf people across the region. You can help us to continue this work by making a donation here: Donate

Coffee Morning for Deaf BSL users. Located in Bedford Town Centre with lots of free parking, we welcome British Sign Language users from across the UK to join us for this free social event. Deaf Coffee Morning Where: The Place Theatre, Bradgate Rd, Bedford, MK40 3DE When: We meet every other Friday between 11am - 2pm Cost: Free to attend. Tea, coffee, cold drinks and snacks available to buy at the bar, please feel free to bring your own lunch. For dates, see our What's On Page LOTS of free parking. Please be aware - we do not guarantee there will be BSL interpreters or communicators at this activity as it is not a teaching or practice session. Our Deaf Coffee Morning is a safe and welcoming place for BSL and SSE users to meet, chat and feel included. Our Deaf Coffee Morning provides a social lifeline for Deaf BSL and SSE users, particularly those aged 50-90, combating isolation and fostering community connections. Our welcoming and friendly group helps to strengthen community ties, increase visibility, and attract new service users as the group continues to grow. People travel from across Bedfordshire - and beyond - to attend our Coffee Mornings. These gatherings are funded by dontations and the sponsorship rasied by our team at Bedford Running Festival, as well as a winter suppliment from the Welcoming Spaces grant at Bedford Borough Council. The coffee morings are held in private spaces, providing a safe place for service users to communicate in their first/preferred language without fear of prejudice or discrimination. You can support our work and enable us to continue running our Deaf Coffee Morning, here: Donate

We support organisations and communities to make meetings, events and appointments accessible to the deaf community, as well as offering translation services and subtitling for videos. Interpreting & Translation Services Our BSL (British Sign Language) interpreting and translating services are designed to bridge communication gaps and foster understanding within the community. Here's a brief overview of what we offer: Interpreting Services Qualified Interpreters: Our team includes Registered Sign Language Interpreters (RSLIs), Trainee Sign Language Interpreters (TSLIs) and Level 3+ Qualified Communication Support Workers (CSWs) and who are highly skilled and experienced in providing professional interpreting and communication services to meet your need and budget. Various Settings: We cover a wide range of settings, including medical appointments, legal consultations, healthcare settings, educational settings, workplace meetings, and community events. Accessibility: We strive to make our services as accessible as possible, ensuring that deaf BSL users can fully participate in all aspects of life, independently and without barriers. Translating Services English text to BSL: We provide translation services for converting written English documents into British Sign Language videos. This service is particularly useful for organisations that need to make their information accessible to deaf users. English Video to BSL Video: Our translators can also translate English videos to into BSL ensuring that communication is clear and understood by all parties. Closed Captions: We are also able to offer a closed captioning service when providing a BSL video translation to ensure all deaf people are included. Additonal Features Confidentiality: All of the interpreters, communicators and translators we work with adhere to strict confidentiality protocols, ensuring that sensitive information is handled with care. Custom Solutions: We offer tailored solutions to meet the specific needs of our clients, whether they are individuals, businesses, or public service providers. Support for Events: We provide interpreting services for events, ensuring that deaf attendees can fully participate and engage. Our goal is to support the deaf community by making communication seamless and inclusive, enabling everyone to thrive in their daily lives. If you have any specific needs or require more details, feel free to ask! Request an Interpreter Commissioned by Bedford Borough Parent Carer Forum, created by Deaf Access Bedfordshire BSL Translations Play Video Play Video Play Video Play Video Request a Quote For Interpreting / Translation Services Please take a moment to fill out the form. First Name Last Name Email Subject Leave us a message... Submit Thanks for submitting!

Deaf Access Bedfordshire supports the 135,000 people in our region with hearing loss. We run deaf awareness and BSL training, organise community activities, supply BSL interpreters and offer a FREE advice service. Making Bedfordshire a place where deaf and hard of hearing people can access everything needed to live, work, study, and relax. Services We Offer DEAF SPACE Free BSL-accessible information, advice & guidance. More Info DEAF FITNESS Weekly, BSL-accessible, inclusive fitness classes. More Info DEAF COFFEE MORNING Free drop in social morning for BSL users. More Info DEAFinately AWESOME KIDS Social events, BSL classes and support. More Info DEAF WELLBEING Fully BSL-accessible workshops to share information and skills More Info BSL & DEAF AWARENESS Taster classes, foundation courses and bespoke training. More Info BSL CAFE Welcoming and supportive, free BSL practice and social sessions. More Info INTERPRETING &TRANSLATION Providing qualified interpreters and high quality translations. More Info EVENTS & COMMUNITY Working with partners to raise awareness and promote inclusion . More Info Our Mission Catherine Wright, Founder and Chair of Trustees When myself and some friends founded Access Bedford (as we were known then), back in 2014 it was because we realised there was a real problem for deaf families, like mine, who were unable to access services across Bedford. We found barriers at every level of our community and in every area of life - from accessing healthcare and voting to finding inclusive youth groups and social and cultural support. We knew, back then, that it would be a battle to change hearts and minds, but we wanted to make Bedfordshire a place where the deaf and hard of hearing community could live, work, learn and relax and feel included. Here we are 10 years later and there have been some really significant improvements both locally and nationally - including the creation of the BSL Act in 2022 to support our rights to have equal access. However, as a Community we are still marginalised and battling many of the same barriers, with poor planning and communication from statutory bodies, retail, cultural, social and leisure providers across the region. Since appointing dedicated staff to manage the charity and deliver services in 2022, we are starting to see a shift in Bedfordshire. We have been able to secure additional funding, which has meant we have been able to reach and support more people, as well as increase the number of partners we support to make their settings and resources more inclusive. I am hopeful that in the next 10 years, Deaf Access Bedfordshire (as we're known now!) will no longer need to fight to ensure the 135,000 deaf people in our community can access basic services. We hope that we will be able to turn our focus towards education and skills development, teaching the hearing community to sign, supporting deaf children and their families to gain early access to language, and bringing the BSL GCSE to our local schools. Find out how you can support us, here .

We are happy to attend community and networking events to share information and increase deaf awareness. Community Engagement We are always happy to come and get involved in your community events. If you have a space for us to set up a table and share what we do with your teams and communities, let us know! Roughly 1 in 3 people in the UK have some form of hearing loss. You might not know who they are, but there will be people you live with, work with, study with, and socialise with, who can't hear you. People who are missing chunks of your conversation and who are exhausted from lipreading and the extra processing needed to understand you. We can help you to make them feel included, welcome and represented. Contact Us We love coming out and attending community events, meeting other service providers and making sure deaf and hard of hearing people - and the parents of deaf children - from all backgrounds know where we are and what we offer. If you have an event coming up, and space for us to set up a table, please get in touch !

Workshops, training, activities and skills development - accessible to the deaf community and BSL users with free access to Interpreters and communication support workers. Deaf Wellbeing We offer BSL-interpreted workshops, information events, videos and accessible documents to help keep our community safe and informed. This project is kindly funded by the Harpur Trust until April 2025 To find out what's coming up and book your place, visit our online booking page HERE Rainbow Bedford 2024 Proud to be here. Rainbow Bedford Festival Sadika teaches a crowd some key LGBTQ+ signs and the colours of the rainbow! Strictly Deaf Dancing Fun and inclusive partner dance class taught by professional Dance Teacher Jo Wilcox. Movement is essential to mental and physical wellbeing. Deaf Fit Deaf inlusive fitness class delivered by Back to the Fitness as part of our Deaf Active Day. Movement is essential for our mental and physical wellbeing. Deaf Fit Deaf inlusive fitness class delivered by Back to the Fitness as part of our Deaf Active Day. Movement is essential for our mental and physical wellbeing. Diabetes Awareness Talk Information stand and talk given by Bedford Diabetes Service, with BSL Interpreters to enable full access to information. Rainbow Bedford 2023 BSL support for the Rainbow Bedford 2023 event. Inclusion comes in all the colours of the rainbow! Health Watch Bedford Borough Women's Health Event Information stand and communication support for women in Bedford to access vital health and wellbeing information in a safe and inclusive setting.