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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. We Are Hiring! Click Here For Details 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 we founded Access Bedford in 2014, it was because we knew something had to change. Deaf families like ours faced barriers everywhere – from healthcare and voting to finding inclusive activities, social opportunities and cultural support. We wanted Bedfordshire to be a place where deaf and hard of hearing people could live, work, learn and relax without feeling excluded. Ten years on, we have seen real progress, including the BSL Act 2022, but many barriers remain. Since appointing dedicated staff in 2022, we have grown from strength to strength, reaching more people, delivering more services and helping organisations across Bedfordshire become more accessible. 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 .

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 worked tirelessly to keep our community informed, safe and connected. From translating key health information to running online BSL cafés and doorstep visits, their efforts were recognised by the HM Lord Lieutenant and 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 ccess Bedford partnered with Remark! to bring a face-to-face Level 1 BSL qualification to Bedford. Initially delivered by our much-missed friend Bob Rose, the course was so popular that all places filled within two weeks. All students passed their final exams, with several progressing to Levels 2 and 3. 2024 Thanks to funding from The Harpur Trust, Access Bedford has delivered a range of BSL-accessible workshops covering topics including dance and fitness, diabetes, sexual health and mental health. We also carried out extensive research and community consultation to develop our 3-year strategic plan, leading to our new name: Deaf Access Bedfordshire. 2025 Deaf Access Bedfordshire has been awarded funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, enabling us to move into our own office space! Working with The Place Theatre, we’ve transformed a disused, self-contained unit into a bright, welcoming base for our charity. Further funding will allow us to install stair lifts and, eventually, a lift, making our services fully accessible. With our office and staffing secured for three years, we’re 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.

Contact Us Questions? Suggestions? Complaints? Billing? Compliments? Collaboration? Sponsorship? Here's how to get in touch: General enquiries info@accessbedford.org.uk Use this email for events, activities, training, complaints, suggestions, compliments, collaborations, sponsorship. Information, Advice & Guidance service deafspace@accessbedford.org.uk Use this email address to contact our information service or to request an appointment You can also send an SMS or BSL video to our Whatsapp: 07376 262 873 Please do not phone this number, is it text and video call only. Interpreting and Translation info@accessbedford.org.uk For help booking a BSL interpreter or to discuss how to add BSL translations into your videos, please contact Grace. Billing and Finance Finance@accessbedford.org.uk Please send all invoices to the finance team so that we can find them and process them on time for you. Visit Us Thanks to funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, we now have gorgeous office space! Find us: Upstairs @ The Place Bradgate Road Bedford MK40 3DE Core Office Hours: Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday 10:00am - 4:00pm Please note, we may be working off site or at meetings at any time. To arrange a visit to the office, please email: info@accessbedford.org.uk

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 COFFEE MORNING Free drop in social morning for BSL users. More Info DEAF FITNESS Weekly, BSL-accessible, inclusive fitness classes. 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

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 are all deaf or hard of hearing. They bring valuable lived experience, from personal experience of deafness to supporting deaf children and breaking communication barriers. Their skills span social work, community engagement, marketing, event planning, and leadership, enabling us to effectively meet the diverse needs of our community. Catherine Wright Founder & Chair of Trustees Claire Jones Trustee Claire is profoundly Deaf and has over 30 years of social care experience, including roles as a Deputy Manager in Children’s Services. After stepping down due to work commitments, she returned as a DAB trustee in 2022 following her retirement. Claire is passionate about reopening a local Deaf club, broadening basic BSL and Deaf awareness training, and ensuring better everyday communication access through in-person interpreters and Video Relay Services (VRS). DiLugh Yates Community Engagement Trustee DiLugh is Deaf and brings extensive experience in community support across voluntary roles, the NHS, and self-employment. A regular Deaf Access Bedford attendee since 2024, they are dedicated to improving accessibility. As a wheelchair user, assistance dog handler, and advocate within the LGBTQIA+ and Pagan communities, DiLugh draws on lived experience to bring people together, break down barriers, and heighten awareness of Deaf experiences. Lissy Malt Trustee Lissy is hard of hearing and has been involved with Deaf Access Bedford for several years before stepping into her trustee role. As the Programmer and Resources Manager at The Place Bedford, she brings valuable expertise in charity administration, arts programming, and education. Lissy uses her background in community engagement to help DAB expand its activities, services, and inclusion efforts for local Deaf and hard of hearing people. Our Staff We currently have a team of four, paid, part time staff, who support and are supported by a team of freelancers and volunteers. If you're interested in volunteering for us, get in touch at info@accessbedford.org.uk . Communicaiton and Operations Officer Tammy Thwaites Tammy volunteered with Deaf Access Bedfordshire for over a year before joining the team in a paid role. Her background as a Communication Support Worker sparked her passion for supporting the Deaf community, and she is currently working toward her Level 3 BSL qualification. Alongside assisting with DAB's day-to-day operations and growth, Tammy works to raise awareness of BSL so it is valued, understood, and taught more widely. Administrative Asistant Krishna Gotham Krishna is a secondary school teacher who has achieved Level 3 BSL. She has a genuine love for BSL and Deaf culture, and enjoys connecting with the local community. Having attended Deaf Access Bedford events for three years and encouraged her own children to learn the language, Krishna brings valuable educational experience to help improve access and inclusion for Deaf children and raise BSL awareness from an early age.

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.

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

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.

Fitness classes for the deaf and hard of hearing community across Bedfordshire, delivered with BSL and visual prompts. Deaf Fitness Classes We offer Gentle, Inclusive Fitness classes for the deaf and hard of hearing community. Delivered using BSL, these classes are suitable for all levels of fitness and ability. We welcome hearing allies to these sessions. Classes are delivered by Michael Easton from Back to the Fitness. Where: John Bunyan Sports & Fitness, Mile Road, Bedford, MK42 9TS When: Wednesdays ~ 10:00am - 10:45am Cost: Funds raised by our Bedford Running Festival team allows us to subsidise these classes to just £3 per person per week. Pay on the door - please bring cash. You can save your place here: Reserve a Place!

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

Work with us. Find out about our vacancies and how you can get involved working with the deaf community in Bedfordshire. Work With Us Check below for details of any vacancies Charity Manager Job Title: Charity Manager Hours: Up to 24 hours per week, increasing to 30 hours per week from April 2027 - with a potential to job share Contract: Fixed Term, Part Time Location: The Place Theatre, Bradgate Road, Bedford, with occasional requirement to work from alternative locations within Bedfordshire and/or at home. Job Summary Deaf Access Bedfordshire is seeking a Charity Manager with a wide range of skills to support our small and committed team. The role is crucial to ensure the smooth running of the charity and the effective delivery of our training and events. Skills Required Strong English written communication, plus high-level British Sign Language (BSL) for engaging with stakeholders, writing report and promoting the charity’s aims Well developed interpersonal skills and the ability to build positive relationships and partnerships with volunteers, donors and partners. Organisational skills to ensure smooth running of the charity in line with charity commission and governance requirements. Strong administrative skills including numeracy and IT Initiative and good forward thinking, creative problem solving, research, analysis and planning skills. Excellent ability to manage multiple tasks and shifting priorities efficiently. Familiarity with OneNote and Plinth CRM is advantageous; training provided if needed. Ability to learn quickly and adapt Practical, proactive, and calm under pressure. Able to work independently and take initiative when challenges arise. Key Responsibilities Create and organise fundraising initiatives and events Seeking sources of funding and completing funding applications, managing monitoring and reporting Ensure accurate capture of monitoring and impact data from events, activities and points of contact with external partners Manage a team of three part time staff Attend occasional trustee meetings as requested Prepare quarterly reports on finances and activities for board of trustees Carry out administrative tasks such as managing budgets, gathering data, preparing reports for trustees and stakeholders, database management and clerical work as required to meet the charity’s needs. Work with Board of Trustees to ensure policy and procedure documents are kept up to date. Ensure compliance with the legal and regulatory requirements relevant to the charity’s operations. To understand, adhere to and actively implement all the policies and procedures of Deaf Access Bedfordshire and its services at all times. To operate and comply with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 and relevant Deaf Access Bedfordshire policies during the course of undertaking the role. To safeguard children, young people and adults at risk, at all times. To undertake training as required. Assist with other work, events and projects as needed. To undertake additional tasks reasonably requested by the Trustees and the charity team. Manage the marketing and promotion of the charity to service users and partner organisations Extend the reach of the charity through outreach and networking Ability to meet deadlines and prioritise work for the team. What We Offer Training and development opportunities. The chance to work in a supportive and inclusive environment. A meaningful role that positively impacts the lives of deaf individuals. Friendly and flexible working arrangement. Opportunity for development and career advancement. Support to develop BSL skills through training and education. For details of how to apply or for more information please contact trustees@accessbedford.org.uk Deadline: Friday 4th September 2026

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 !