Doncaster deaf community backs UK call for sign language interpreters for coronavirus news

Deaf people from across the UK have joined forces to produce a video calling for Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Government to have British Sign Language interpreters on the daily updates from Downing Street and for news programmes so they can stay in touch with coronavirus updates.

There are more than 87,000 deaf people in Britain – and Doncaster has one of the country’s biggest deaf communities.

Doncaster Deaf Trust runs the Doncaster School for the Deaf, which was formed in 1829 and has a landmark building on Leger Way.

The video was put together by a number of deaf people of all ages from across the country and shows them signing a message to Boris Johnson calling for more information.

Subtitles in the video read: “An emergency public announcement about coronavirus.

“You have a duty – deaf people are here too.

“87,000 deaf people in the UK are not receiving info in BSL, our first language.

“Where are our human rights? There’s a lack of adequate information – we matter too!”

The video calls for a live TV interpreter on all channels to help deaf people receive important updates.

The footage was recorded before Prime Minister Boris Johnson was hospitalised with coronavirus.

Mr Johnson has so far spent two nights in intensive care at St Thomas’ Hospital, London.