News

A NOT-FOR-PROFIT COMMUNITY GROUP

let your fingers do the talking with sign language!

LATEST NEWS
31 August 2010
Photos from the Sutton Sign Writing Workshop are here.

21 August 2010
Learn to Sign Week is the first week in October. Maureen Doyle will be presenting a singing & signing session at a Charity Baby Show held at the Lakeside Christian Centre on Saturday 2 October, 11am-3pm.

9 August 2010
The new BSL SignWriting Dictionary has been set up by Valerie Sutton, the creator of SignWriting and it is online now for British Sign Language users to learn from and to add their own signs. Free downloads of lessons in SignWriting here.

30 June 2010
Our first Sutton Sign Writing workshop is to be held as follows:

Date: Friday, 27 August 2010
Time: 10am to 4.30pm
Venue: Joint Learning Centre, 54 Bath Street, Southport (Not far from the train station - map on our website)
Tutor: Suzanne Pach (from Holland)
Cost: £100 (includes 3 books already received from Valerie in America)

Also included to take home are some new SSW learning/teaching aids & resources just made to aid learning. Maureen will also include her own "Basics of Sign Language" DVD so you can see her technique of helping others to learn. This was filmed live at one of our sessions.

Refreshments: tea, coffee, hot chocolate & biscuits, but not lunch ('The Swan' - best fish & chip shop in the town - around the corner or local wine bars and pubs for lunch break.)

If you want to arrive the day before or stay for the weekend to make the most of your trip, there are plenty of B&Bs in the same street.

Limited places: Please confirm your place by emailing your full details and any information that you feel we need to know to maureengndoyle@hotmail.com (our group email address has got problems). Please say if you would be interested in attending future workshops.]

Cheques made payable to Practice Makes Perfect (refundable if you are unable to attend through accident or illness.) Send to 140 Duke Street, Southport, PR8 5DH.

Any questions please ring 01704 546626 or text/mobile 07960 984306.

28 June 2010

"Spirit of Merseyside" Award winner Maureen Doyle, originator and Chairperson of Practice Makes Perfect attended the opening of the New Garden at Butterflies Children's Centre at Bishop David Shepherd School. Maureen was accompanied by Maria Nolan (group Treasurer).

24 June 2010
Practice Makes Perfect won the Grassroots Project of the Year Award at Liverpool Cathedral last Thursday. Well done to everyone!

2 June 2010
The following websites have been added to our Links section - please do visit them:

Sutton sign writing (http://www.signwriting.org) is a way of writing down sign language. Maureen is at the planning stage for a tutor to come to Southport to teach some of our members this amazing skill so that learning sign language could be made easier. If any sign language tutors would be interested in attending a short course, please contact Maureen.

24 May 2010
It is with regret that we have to announce Michael Lynton is no longer with us. Our condolences go to his family & friends.

5 May 2010
For this week only the Friday practice session at the Joint Learning Centre on Bath Street is cancelled as Maureen & Mavis are attending a funeral.

24 April 2010
Our stall at Southport College was very well received. 100s of fingerspelling posters, bookmarks and sign language booklets were given away.

Thanks to Mavis for volunteering for the day and looking after the stall whilst Maureen did three workshops for both pupils and teachers.

1 April 2010
Practice Makes Perfect has been shortlisted for the Grassroots Project of the Year at the Spirit of Merseyside Awards.

The prestigious Spirit of Merseyside Awards will be held at Liverpool Cathedral on Thursday 17 June 2010. This event celebrates the hard work, dedication and effort of groups who have received funding from the Community Foundation for Merseyside over the past 12 months.

Also shortlisted for the Project of the Year Award are Southport Sub Aqua, Southport Formby Athletes and Bluey Baloo.

The winners will be decided by an independent panel of judges, who will visit the groups to ask questions about their projects. New Reality Media will be filming all the groups and the films will be shown at the event as part of the award celebration, which includes a 3 course meal and entertainment.

25 March 2010
The event at Bishop David Shepherd School was a great success. Maureen presented three 45 minute workshops to 6 classes and their teachers. The school has planned to watch our DVD on Mondays to learn and practice signing together. Everyone joined in and had a fun time. Thanks to Jenny Iveson for volunteering and being there at all the sessions.

26 February 2010
Maureen managed to upload a short video she made with a borrowed camera. It's entitled Vowels & Alphabet - click here to watch.

8 February 2010

Our Christmas party was held on 14 December. Thanks to everyone for bringing contributions for the buffet table. Sheila brought hot sausage rolls.

It was an opportunity to celebrate the new funding from The Big Lottery fund. They awarded us £6.115 for running costs for 1 year. We have received the cheque.

Keziah sang a couple of songs for us, including "How much is that doggie in the window?" with her poodle puppy Ruby, who joined in with barks at the right places as Keziah has been training her. We sang and signed "Silent Night", our favourite Carol.

18 January 2010
The Marian Centre will be open for the Monday class tonight. The Joint Learning Centre at 54 Bath Street has an Open day this Friday; Maureen will have information & leaflets.

9 January 2010
Due to the severe weather conditions, the Marian Centre will NOT be open on Monday, 11 January. Please ring Maureen Doyle on 01704 546626 or log on to our website for further news the weekend before 18 January.

Fridays venue at the Joint Learning Centre on 54 Bath Street will continue on 15 January, subject to the weather conditions.

4 January 2010
Now that the Christmas holidays are over, PMP restarts with practice classes on Monday 11 & Friday 15 January. See the Classes page for more details.

We have received £6,115 from Awards for All. It will make a difference to our group as it will help to cover the running costs for 2010 (excluding venue hire).

7 December 2009

Funded by Grassroots, our meal at the Pageant was marvelous. 22 people attended and every one really enjoyed the evening. The food was fantastic.

It's been a while since we have seen Hilary and Ruth so we were all happy they made it to the meal. It was lovely to see them again. My thanks to everyone for making it a special evening. Thanks to Margie for bringing and looking after Mary from Crosby. Our youngest learner Lucas was there too with his Mum and Grandmother, Maria, our Treasurer.

The day after I received a magnificent bouquet of flowers from Mary. Many thanks to Mary for them. My thanks also to Hilary and Ruth for their Thank You card.

Hope to see you all at the Christmas Party on 14 December, 6pm, at the Marian Centre.

19 October 2009
My Almost Famous Family, a children's programme on BBC2 on Saturdays at 10am, features a deaf girl. It is a series of 11 episodes. Next Saturday (24th) will be show 7.

9 October 2009
We held our AGM on Monday, 21 September. The Annual Report for the year has been published.

11 September 2009
A new series of See Hear has started on Wednesdays at 1pm on BBC2. The previous week's episode can be seen early Wednesday mornings; times vary so need to check the schedules for when that is broadcasted.

5 September 2009
Learn to Sign Week is 5-11 October. We will be offering a FREE class to learn fingerspelling and some basic everyday signs. Monday at the Marian Centre on Bath St North 6-8pm. Families are welcome at this venue. Friday at the Joint Learning Centre at 54 Bath Street 1.30-3pm. Adults only at this venue.

2 September 2009
Deaf athletes from across the UK will be taking part at the Deaflympics in Taipei from 5-15 September. We wish them all the best during the competition, and hope they come home with a few medals! To keep up to date with events at the Deaflympics, visit their site.

We have received a donation of £150 from the Duchy of Lancaster. Many thanks for this kind addition to our funds.

1 September 2009

Last week members of the YAT Group attended Workshops at the Joint Learning Centre in Yellowhouse Lane, Southport.

Their intensive training in the basics of Sign Language and other communications skills were well received. On Day 2 the students were able to sign questions and have a general conversation with our deaf volunteer Mavis Husbands. It is a great achievement for them all.

Monitoring forms for training courses are always completed and these show that everyone enjoyed the workshops. All forms are available to view on request.

26 July 2009
Nick Sturley, in association with DeafEducate, has announced the introduction of the world's first ever British Sign Language (BSL) ebook app for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch, covering the first four volumes of his Tales From Signtown fairytales.