Wrexham AFC Foundation staff have taken part in specialist Deaf Awareness training delivered by Deaf & Sensory Network as part of its Hear Me project, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund Wales.
The session took place at the Racecourse Ground, and those attending were members of staff who deliver community programmes across Wrexham and beyond, including work with young people with disabilities and those who are deaf or living with hearing loss.
Delivered by DSN's Hear Me project, the training aimed to build confidence, understanding and communication skills when supporting deaf people and those with hearing loss.
The session was led by a Deaf tutor from DSN and interpreted by one of the charity's experienced British Sign Language interpreters.
Attendees learned more about deafness and hearing loss, practical communication strategies and the barriers faced by deaf people, alongside football-themed BSL signs, greetings and simple everyday phrases.
Ashley Mackay, Hear Me Project Worker at DSN, said:
“We were delighted to work with Wrexham AFC and support staff who are delivering important community programmes across the region.
“Sessions like this help to build confidence and understanding, while also showing how small changes in communication can make a huge difference to accessibility and inclusion.
“It was fantastic to see everyone getting involved, learning some football-related signs, and really engaging with Deaf culture and communication.”
Wrexham AFC Foundation Programmes Manager Elgan Williams added:
“We're really grateful to Deaf & Sensory Network for delivering this training to our staff.
“At Wrexham AFC, we're proud to provide football participation opportunities for young people with disabilities and additional learning needs through our Ability Dragons sessions, pan-disability teams and Powerchair football.
“This training has helped our staff better support young people and increased awareness and understanding of deafness and hearing loss.
“It also supports the growth of our programmes and highlights our commitment to providing equal opportunities.”
