The Limping Chicken

The 7 biggest risks to your child’s cochlear implant...
The Limping Chicken They’re fiddly, they’re amazing and they’re expensive. I can think of no other situation when any sane parent would hang £14,000 of delicate equipment off their children’s ears. But if your child has cochlear implants, that’s what you have to do everyday. Here in Blighty we don’t have to pay big bucks to buy them, […]
Thu, Jul 24 2014 · 5 hours ago

Exclusive: “I should have just kicked her off.”...
The Limping Chicken Virgin Trains are investigating an incident in which a Train Manager allegedly subjected a Deaf woman to a angry tirade which horrified other passengers. Michelle Quayle boarded a train from Crewe to Manchester Piccadilly on Saturday morning. She was sitting in her seat reading a book when the Train Manager got her attention by waving his hand in front […]
Wed, Jul 23 2014

Andy Palmer: GPs should have access to video interpreting...
The Limping Chicken I confess, I’ve done it. I did it more than once and I wouldn’t have had it any other way at the time. In the same circumstances I would do it again. To what am I confessing? Interpreting for my deaf family in medical situations, of course. Some people say that the reason why sign […]
Tue, Jul 22 2014

Deaf News: Concerns raised for health and care for Deaf...
The Limping Chicken A new report launched today by community interest company Sign Lingual UK and commissioned by consumer champion Healthwatch Oxfordshire highlights a lack of access to health and care services for the Deaf community in Oxfordshire. The Sign Lingual report reveals that current health provision and services in Oxfordshire are not meeting the needs of Deaf people...
Mon, Jul 21 2014

Jen Dodds: More deaf people should post signed videos...
The Limping Chicken So, I’ve poured water over my head on Facebook, and seen everyone else do it too, coming to the conclusion that we deaf people are really quite bonkers. (I know the water tipping thing was started by a hearing woman in New Zealand, and had nothing at all to do with deafness, but in the […]
Mon, Jul 21 2014

BSL video: Water Aid thank Deaf community for water...
The Limping Chicken Here’s a nice video to end the week. Two members of staff from the charity Water Aid post a video (with subtitles and a BSL interpreter) thanking the Deaf community for all the donations that have poured in from people taking the water challenge. Then they take the challenge themselves. Take a look. Remember, it’s easy […]
Fri, Jul 18 2014

Andy Palmer: 10 situations when knowing sign language can...
The Limping Chicken Many severely or profoundly deaf kids these days wear cochlear implants or hearing aids. Some parents, new to the experience of having deaf children and advised by audiologists and scientists, may think that sign language seems unnecessary and their focus wholly falls on listening skills and speech development. But what happens when things don’t go to plan? Like ...
Fri, Jul 18 2014

Limping Chicken passes two million page views!
The Limping Chicken A few minutes ago, Limping Chicken passed the 2 million views mark! Here’s a few words from our Editor, Charlie Swinbourne… It took us about a year and a half to reach a million views, which happened last October, and I didn’t expect that we’d clock up another million so soon. A big part of […]
Thu, Jul 17 2014
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Watch: Departure Lounge, a moving drama about Deaf...
The Limping Chicken This week, on digital TV and online, the BSL Zone is showing Departure Lounge, an award-winning half hour drama about the friendship between two Deaf men in hospital, who turn to one another when their lives are in crisis. The drama, which was made in 2009, was directed by Louis Neethling, and written by this […]
Thu, Jul 17 2014

Deaf people in Zambia struggle to access HIV information
The Limping Chicken All Africa website has reported on the problems Deaf people have accessing HIV information in Zambia, a country that prides itself on its HIV information services. The article tells the story of Faith, a Deaf woman, and also explains some of the background – with disabled women Zambia “particularly vulnerable to abuse and abandonment since they […]
Thu, Jul 17 2014

Deaf News: Deaf people in Camden say they are...
The Limping Chicken In another example of how cuts are starting to feed through to affect the lives of deaf and disabled people, the Ham and High has reported on how the closure of Camden’s DISC disability support service has left Deaf people in the area unable to access council services. DISC, which stands for Disability in Camden, closed […]
Wed, Jul 16 2014

The Question: Should family sign language courses be...
The Limping Chicken If there is one thing that learning sign language is known for, it is being expensive. To become a competent signer can cost many hundreds or thousands of pounds and the result of that is that families of deaf children, arguably those who may need it most, will not be able to afford to learn. […]
Wed, Jul 16 2014

Only Deaf person in UK not to be asked to pour water on his...
The Limping Chicken Over the last week, the ‘tipping water on your head’ challenge has spread far and wide through the Deaf community, with Deaf folk challenging their friends to either soak themselves in cold water or donate hard cash to charity. With each person nominating five friends, the craze has quickly gone from involving just a handful […]
Tue, Jul 15 2014

London’s Royal Court theatre offers £10 tickets for...
The Limping Chicken The Royal Court theatre, Britain’s leading theatre for new plays, has launched a new season of accessible performances for deaf people – featuring captioned and BSL interpreted performances – so you can follow every line of dialogue. Even better, the theatre have introduced a special offer for our readers. You can buy your ticket for […]
Tue, Jul 15 2014

Meet: Corvette Silo, the Deaf woman who runs a craft shop...
The Limping Chicken By Asher Woodman-Worrell. Last summer, I paid a visit to a small idyllic village named Bakewell in Derbyshire just less than forty miles to Nottingham. I was in pursuit of something. Was it the fresh air and a chance to stretch my legs under the brilliant sun? No. Was it the world famous Bakewell tart […]
Tue, Jul 15 2014

Shaun Sadlier: “I’ve been run over four times.” This...
The Limping Chicken Hi everybody, Hope you’re well. I am profoundly Deaf and British Sign Language is my first language. This is what it’s like to be me… What deafness is like I feel like there is an empty space, when you are moving things around and there is no noise, not even a tiny bit. I know […]
Mon, Jul 14 2014

Facebook craze for Deaf people emptying water over their...
The Limping Chicken I don’t think I’ve had as much fun watching any of the summer sporting events, such as the World Cup, Tour De France or Wimbledon as I have in the last few evenings watching Deaf Facebook users dump water over their own heads. Yes, you read that right. Deaf people on Facebook are challenging each […]
Fri, Jul 11 2014
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Deaf News: “Toxic” culture reported at Scotland’s...
The Limping Chicken The Edinburgh News has reported on claims of a “toxic” culture at Donaldson’s Deaf School in Edinburgh, Scotland. Concerns are growing for the school after a recent indecent assault case and the departure of its Chief Executive. Now, reports suggest that five staff members who expressed a grievance one year ago may not have had their complaints dealt with. [...
Fri, Jul 11 2014

Deaf actor Matty Gurney to star in Edinburgh Fringe play,...
The Limping Chicken Theatre Ad Infinitum is set to perform the company’s first dystopian sci-fi play at the Edinburgh Fringe, in collaboration with Deaf actor Matty Gurney. Inspired by the revelations of whistleblower Edward Snowden, and the debate surrounding state surveillance, Light brings to life a nightmarish future where the state is secretly watching citizens’ minds. Excited b...
Fri, Jul 11 2014

Kimberly Brown: 12 tips to help hearing people communicate...
The Limping Chicken Every Deaf or HOH person is different and has different needs and strengths dealing with their communication requirements on a daily basis. The strategies suggested here are not a blanket method for every Deaf or HOH person you will encounter, but they will aid, and facilitate better communication for that person. I am not a […]
Thu, Jul 10 2014

Tariq Mahmood: Deaf Muslims searching for Islam
The Limping Chicken In 2000 I graduated from Wolverhampton University with a British Sign Language/English Interpreting degree and have since worked in a variety of settings within the mainstream Deaf community.  However, in addition to my everyday interpreting and workshops, I also have the unique position of being the only British Asian, Muslim-born, male RSLI in the UK […]
Thu, Jul 10 2014

Deaf News: Mock trial to examine if Deaf people can serve...
The Limping Chicken The Guardian has reported that a mock trial will be held in Sydney, Australia, to see whether deaf people can perform jury service. This is not only an issue in Australia. In 2010, Cathy Heffernan wrote a comment piece for the Guardian about how the UK and Ireland should include deaf jurors, just like America […]
Wed, Jul 09 2014

Diary of a Deaf Filmmaker, Month One: Can I actually do...
The Limping Chicken Some of you might know that in the month of May, the Gods of Deaf film-making smiled upon me and I won something called the Ben Steiner Bursary. I wrote about it here and everything. Well, you lucky devils/poor unfortunate souls (delete where appropriate), now I have decided to track my progress in a delightful/dreadful […]
Wed, Jul 09 2014

Deaf News: TV personality John Barrowman experiences...
The Limping Chicken TV personality John Barrowman has experienced deafness for the day as part of a filmed experiment so that he could understand some of the difficulties that deaf people face. He was then partnered with a hearing dog to see first-hand the difference these dogs make to deaf peoples’ lives. Watch the (subtitled) video of his experience below: […]
Tue, Jul 08 2014

Deaf News: Emotional scenes as seven Irish Deaf women...
The Limping Chicken There were emotional scenes in Calais, France yesterday as seven Irish Deaf women celebrated completing their swim across the English Channel for charity. The women, Deirdre Byrne, Patricia Heffernan, Nora Duggan, Bridie Power, Michelle McLaughlin, Lisa Finn Carroll and Bernadette White, were raising money for the Irish Deaf Women Group. The group is a Voluntary […]
Tue, Jul 08 2014

Emily Howlett: Dangermouse v Rastamouse! Accessible...
The Limping Chicken When I was little, the television was huge and terrifying. No, really. It was a beast of a thing that took up half the living room, despite having only a teeny tiny screen. My sister usually wanted to watch Button Moon or The Clangers, but I was too little to really bother about this weird, […]
Tue, Jul 08 2014

Charlie Swinbourne: The day the Tour de France went past...
The Limping Chicken For weeks now, yellow bikes have been appearing at the side of the road in Yorkshire, not only in Ilkley, where I live, but also throughout the other towns nearby, ready to greet the cyclists competing in this year’s Tour de France. Heck, a miniature yellow bike even found its way onto the sign above […]
Mon, Jul 07 2014

The Secret Deafie: Why I gave up wearing hearing aids
The Limping Chicken The Secret Deafie is a series of anonymous columns written by different writers. This one comes from a Deaf man who has tried internet dating… I was born profoundly deaf. My parents found out when I was only 2 years old, having not responded to my name being called but to a thumping foot vibration […]
Mon, Jul 07 2014

Deaf News: Sky allow deaf customers to cancel by email, not...
The Limping Chicken The Telegraph have reported that Sky TV will allow deaf customers to cancel their subscriptions by email, unlike hearing customers who will be forced to ring in but written letters will not be allowed due to ‘security reasons’. Sky has come under pressure from the Telegraph in recent months as customers complained about the difficulties […]
Fri, Jul 04 2014

Darren Townsend-Handscomb: What’s happened to the Access...
The Limping Chicken In this article, I’ve written more information about what’s happened to people’s submissions, and I’ve written some important things to think about if you are still planning to send in evidence in English (18th July) or BSL (1st August). The Select Committee has received around 300 submissions.  We should feel really proud of this.  It’s […]
Fri, Jul 04 2014

Deaf News: Record number of submissions made to...
The Limping Chicken The Work and Pensions Committee has received almost 300 written submissions to its inquiry into Access to Work and that number is much higher than usual. In 2013, Third Sector reported a ‘record high’ of 186 submissions to a Public Administration Committee inquiry. According to the Committee, a large majority of those submissions came from deaf people and the ...
Thu, Jul 03 2014

Deaf News: Access to Work inquiry evidence made available...
The Limping Chicken The Work and Pensions Committee recently announced an inquiry into the Access to Work scheme, asking Deaf and disabled people to give evidence by 20th June about their experiences of receiving employment support. The inquiry is particularly interested in the application and assessment processes, whether the ongoing support is adequate and whether ATW is helping them ...
Thu, Jul 03 2014

Meet: Jane Fletcher, aka Fletch@, the UK’s best known...
The Limping Chicken Jane Fletcher, aka Fletch@ is possibly the UK’s best known sign song performer. The 30-year-old from Wolverhampton has performed on some big stages and met royalty. Andy Palmer caught up with her this week to find out more about her signed-song career. So, you’re the UK’s No.1 signed songstress. How did you get into it? […]
Thu, Jul 03 2014

UK Sport doubles funding for Winter Olympic and Paralympic...
The Limping Chicken The news last week that UK Sport are doubling the funding that Winter Olympic and Paralympic athletes get to £31 million has come as a bitter blow to Deaflympic athletes who still receive no funding at all. The governing body doubled the funding ahead of the 2018 games in South Korea following what they say […]
Wed, Jul 02 2014

Melinda Hildebrandt: The Deaf parenting situation that...
The Limping Chicken I recently found myself in a situation that reminded me of one of my favourite David Brent moments (and there are many) from The Office. Brent (played by Ricky Gervais with depths of pathos unseen since the days of W.C. Fields) is told by his boss, Jennifer Taylor-Clarke, that Wernham Hogg is under a financial cloud. Changes to the Slough branch will need to ...
Wed, Jul 02 2014

Deaf News: Double breakthrough in court system for Deaf...
The Limping Chicken Two recent court cases have led to developments which may help more deaf people to be treated fairly when they access the justice system. In the first case, which was reported in the Law Gazette, a trial in which the alleged victim, defendant and witnesses were all deaf and use sign language was filmed so that […]
Tue, Jul 01 2014

Joseph Santini: Why critical literacy is so important for...
The Limping Chicken A recent episode of Kitchen Nightmares had the host, Chef Gordon Ramsay, excoriating a family about its restaurant, Sam’s Mediterranean Kabob Room. The Chef initially asks the whole family to take turns pointing out why the business isn’t improving. It’s painful to watch. At this point, the father and mother start crying. It’s obviously a real breakdown. [�...
Tue, Jul 01 2014

Charlie Swinbourne: Glastonbury’s been awarded gold...
The Limping Chicken By all accounts, this year’s Glastonbury festival went down a muddy storm, and even better, the festival has also been honoured for the way it allowed Deaf and disabled people to access the festival. BBC News has reported this morning that the festival is the first ever to be awarded ‘gold’ status by the charity Attitude […]
Mon, Jun 30 2014

Access to Work enquiry sees sense and allows evidence in BSL
The Limping Chicken Deaf people’s hopes of a positive outcome from the Work and Pensions committee’s inquiry into Access to Work have received a significant boost with the news that the inquiry will now accept evidence in British Sign Language. Deaf people who use BSL as their first language and rely on BSL interpreters at work have previously […]
Mon, Jun 30 2014

Fraser Gunn: What it was like to be a batonbearer for the...
The Limping Chicken Back in March, I received an email from the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games’ organisers telling me that I had been chosen to be a batonbearer. I was delighted, as – although I knew I had been nominated by the National Deaf Children Society (NDCS) – it was still a big surprise when the email came […]
Fri, Jun 27 2014

Tamsin Coates: What the government’s Special Educational...
The Limping Chicken The government has put in place some new ‘reforms’ – changes to current practice, which are directly within the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) area. These will potentially affect families with deaf children so I thought I would put together a little piece to highlight a few of the key changes and what families […]
Thu, Jun 26 2014

Deaf News: Shocking 73-week wait for hearing aid...
The Limping Chicken Patients with hearing loss in one area of Wales are being forced to wait up to 73 weeks, or 17 months, to get reassessed for hearing aids, Wales Online reports. Figures obtained from Cym Taf Health Board by the local Liberal Democrat Group show the shocking delay patients face to obtain hearing aids if they […]
Thu, Jun 26 2014

The Question: If Scotland votes for independence, what...
The Limping Chicken On 18th September this year, Scottish people will vote on whether they want to remain part of Britain, or whether to become independent. Both sides have been battling hard to persuade people to vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’, with the debate so far focusing on issues such as the economy, membership of Europe, and whether Scotland […]
Wed, Jun 25 2014

Deaf News: Elderly deaf people in North Staffordshire may...
The Limping Chicken Thousands of elderly people with hearing loss could be forced to plead for their hearing aids to an NHS panel following plans being considered by North Staffordshire NHS. Marus Warnes, Chief operating officer of North Staffordshire CCG, revealed that people diagnosed with mild or moderate age-related hearing loss may have to apply to a panel […]
Wed, Jun 25 2014

Coca Cola and Deaf Umbrella team up to offer BSL work...
The Limping Chicken A new initiative from our supporter Deaf Umbrella and soft drinks company Coca Cola will see two Deaf people each month having a one week work experience placement at the company’s bottling plant in Sidcup. The placements are available for those aged from 16 to 60, who are referred by their Job Centre, and they receive full […]
Tue, Jun 24 2014

The inside story on the moving viral World Cup video of a...
The Limping Chicken Sign language expert Hélio Fonseca de Araújo, 33, found an innovative way to help his deaf and blind friend Carlos, 27, enjoy the opening match of the 2014 World Cup when hosts Brazil faced Croatia. In the jaw-dropping online video that has been shared across the world last week (including here), Carlos is seen having his hand guided […]
Tue, Jun 24 2014

10 dangerous jobs for deaf people!
The Limping Chicken 1. Coastguard These guys are an amazing bunch of volunteers who can drop everything at the ding of a bell and rush out to sea, saving lives and being generally heroic. Deaf people can be heroic. However, they can’t rush off, leaving their sign language conversation behind. It’s just impossible. “I’ve got to go! Someone’s […]
Mon, Jun 23 2014

Deaf News: Man steals £40,000 from his deaf mother
The Limping Chicken A man from Tewkesbury has been jailed for stealing over £40,000 from his own mother, who is almost completely deaf. Simon Crutchley conned his own elderly mother, Joan, out of the money and used it to pay off his own debts. He told his mother that he was ‘looking after’ her finances, but was in […]
Fri, Jun 20 2014

Watch: Moving video about transgender deaf child
The Limping Chicken An internet video about a transgender deaf child with cochlear implants has amassed six million views in just two weeks. The moving film, created by his parents, shows how Ryland Whittington was born a deaf girl and then faced a struggle to find his own identity.
Fri, Jun 20 2014

Deaf News: New study reveals potential treatment for...
The Limping Chicken New research released this week suggests that tinnitus can be eliminated by blocking signals between the ear and brain, offering hope to suffers that a cure is within reach. One in ten people in the UK are affected by tinnitus everyday – ranging from a light buzzing to a constant roar in the ears and head but […]
Thu, Jun 19 2014