Local Deaflympics athlete holds beach sign language class » Communities » 24dash.com

Brighton beach was transformed into a classroom on Saturday 20 June, when Britain’s Deaflympics representative for football, Roanna Simmons, taught fellow Southern Housing Group residents to sign the Group’s name in British Sign Language (BSL).

The unique beach BSL lesson was part of Southern Housing Group’s annual residents’ event Who Wants to Know? Shaping Your Services, a day full of interactive sessions and talks to highlight how knowledge of residents’ diversity helps to shape the Group and the services it delivers. Sessions provided an opportunity for residents to explore the challenges of tailoring services to meet their requirements.

Southern Housing Group is sponsoring Roanna, 22, who lives at Wellend Villas in Brighton, to represent Great Britain playing football at the Taiwan Deaflympics 2009. As a guest speaker at the event, Roanna took inspiration from the resident event’s theme of diversity to talk about her experiences and how tailored services have helped her to realise her ambitions.

Roanna said:

“It was a pleasure to take part in the event and have the opportunity to talk to residents about my experiences. The Group's aim to get to know its residents and tailor services to suit our needs is commendable. Teaching people to sign the Group's name on the beach was great fun, and I think we all came away knowing Southern Housing Group's staff and its aims better."

South Region Director, Guy Collar, said:

“The Group’s South Region has almost 6,000 homes. This event was a great way for us to get to know our residents and their needs better - and for residents to get to know us too. We are committed to meeting the diverse needs of our residents and are continually working to improve our services. A huge thanks to all the residents, partners and staff who made the day such a success.”

Mrs Marie Gregory, a resident from Eastern Road in Brighton, said:

“I absolutely loved the event. The conference was very interesting and informative. We were very well looked after and it was very entertaining. I thought Roanna's presentation was marvellous - she has certainly seen a lot of life!”