Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw was one of many who joined an online campaign last week to celebrate British Sign Language.
The BSL Celebration Week Campaign run by Exeter Deaf Academy, SignUp BSL and Deafinite Interpreters hoped to get as many people as possible filming themselves signing their name.
The organisations created a video guide to allow everyone to take part and all footage was shared over Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
Other high-profile figures supported the campaign such as Matt and Caroline from the Heart Breakfast Show and Deaf lifestyle magazine, SL First, Editor Sarah Lawrence.
As MP for Exeter, the city that has the fourth highest proportion of sign language users in the country, Ben Bradshaw said, “It was fascinating and quick and easy to learn how to introduce myself in sign language to support Exeter Deaf Academy’s BSL Celebration Week. I encourage everyone to share the campaign online and have a go at learning to sign their name and record it in support”.
If you still want to have a go all the information about the campaign, including the instructional videos can be found online here.
Last week marked eleven years since British Sign Language was recognised as an official British Language on 18 March 2003. Other activities to celebrate took part across the UK including a Deaf lobby of Westminster, art projects by the students at Exeter Deaf Academy and a 200 year old mug depicting the BSL fingerspelling alphabet displayed at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum.
Article source: Exeter Express and Echo