July 2019 Newsletter

Sign language classes  – new term start dates
Monday 2nd September, 6pm to 8pm
Friday 6th September, 1pm to 3pm

We are closed in December as everyone is so busy getting ready for Christmas with school events and Christmas meals.

Our Christmas meal will be on Thursday 5th December 1pm
at The Mount Pub. Manchester Road. Southport. I will be organising names and menu choices in November.

Monday afternoons
Baby signing with Practice Makes Perfect meet up at The Salvation Army cafe is on throughout the summer holidays – Monday afternoons at 1pm until 2pm. Our class members are welcome to come along too as I will be there for a couple of hours.

Thursdays at the Mount
Our Thursday midweek meal and subtitled movie at The Mount Pub on Manchester Road. Southport will continue throughout the summer holidays. If you would like me to reserve you a seat at our table, please text 07960 984306 on Wednesday before 6 pm. I book on Wednesday evenings. You can of course always ring the Mount or message them via their Facebook page.

Monday 29th July
We had a new mum Natasha with her baby only 15 weeks old.
Her eyes lit up as I was showing her the sign for “milk” and she definitely tried to sign milk before they left.

Emma’s daughter Eva (aged 3) brought along her vegetables and fruit from her kitchen as she wanted to learn the signs for them. She is a very quick learner and is teaching signs to her baby sister Amarah all the time.

This evening was our last class for this term. Many thanks to all who attended and those who made cakes to celebrate Mary’s birthday. Welcome to Sarah, and her daughters Lola and Kate.

We all played the Shopping Game, which was fun for everyone. It’s a great way to use the same signs every time but adding 1 new one as each person took their turn and chose what they had bought. We also love “I went to the zoo”.

We received Resilience Funds of £1,500 in January and we have been able to give BSL dictionaries to our members. We were also able to buy “Topics for Tots” which we laminated and made into flashcards. They have been given to our mums so that they and the children can learn and practice at home. Mavis has been laminating them all so they are durable. Thank you, Mavis.

Thank you to Debbie who has also been doing some laminating for our group. Thank you to Barry for printing out our posters. Some were given out at the Deaf Centre Funday. Thank you Tony for continuing to host our webpage; I do depend on you and
I really appreciate your help. Thank you to all volunteers who have been photocopying our handouts so that all new learners have a set to go with my DVD so that they are able to learn and practice at home.

Have a lovely summer. If you need any help please do email me or message me and I will do my best to help you.

Happy holidays!
Maureen

May 2019 Newsletter

Maureen writes:

I’m posting a lot on our Facebook pages and Pinterest board files so please join them and see all the posts. They are interesting and informative.

We recently received £1,500 from the Resilience funders. We paid £300 to The Salvation Army. We have been based there for 5 years now.

We have been able to buy 30 of Cath Smith’s BSL dictionaries and they have been given FREE to some of our members. We also bought 10 of Cath Smith’s latest book Topics for Tots and 10 sets of House and Home flashcards. These are being laminated and will be turned into flashcards so that they are easy to handle by the babies/toddlers and will be durable. Thank you to Mavis and Debbie for taking on the job of laminating all the resources.

Thank you to Tony for looking after our website and to all those who volunteer to make the refreshments. Thanks to Amy for making and printing out fingerspelling word searches every week. They are so popular with both the children and adults.

Our Thursday meal and the subtitled movie at the Mount is very popular and will continue throughout the Summer holidays. No classes during August. All our classes are flourishing and every class is different and enjoyable.

This year we had a member, Citalli, who came from Mexico especially to attend our classes (she found us on the web). She was already skilled in Mexican sign language and American sign language and could speak other languages. Citalli is now in Norway with her new job as a tour guide. We will be keeping in touch via emails and Skype.

My best wishes to everyone.

September 2018 Newsletter

The current term will end on Monday 26 November and Friday 30 November. These end of term dates will include food and fun.

Our Monday class will be closed on 8 October as most of us will be at the Little Theatre for Oliver with BSL interpreter. On 30 December at the Little Theatre, there will be Cinderella, also BSL interpreted.

The new term in 2019 will begin Monday 14 January at 6-8pm and Friday 18 January at 1-3pm.

Christmas meal at the Mount will be on Thursday 6 December. The date has been booked already as the Mount is very popular with other groups and Maureen wanted to be sure PMP has its usual day. There will also be a subtitled film. When the menu is available, Maureen will be taking deposits and meal choices. The price will probably be similar to last year. If you are attending please get in touch with Maureen on 07960 984306.

September 2017 Newsletter

Community Church
On Sunday 29 May 2016 a few of us attended the Salvation Army Sunday service. This service was to recognize and introduce all the groups using the Community Church. Maureen and Mavis signed The Lord’s Prayer.

2016 summer holidays
It was announced we would be closed during August 2016 as there are usually events on at the Salvation Army Community Church / Centre. The group will, however, be meeting up on Monday evenings at a pub where we can eat/drink if we wish to whilst we chat/sign. Classes started again on Friday 2 September and Monday 5 September 2016.

Young Learner
I want to say huge congratulations to Erin. At just 11 years old, she did a Deaf Awareness and Sign language presentation for her Brownie troop talent show. All the children’s parents and grandparents attended.

She earned her entertainment badge. Her presentation consisted of the vowels (she wore one of our gloves which is a special teaching aid).

She sang and signed

(1) The alphabet
(2) Old MacDonald had a farm
(3) The farmers in his den
(4) One, two, three, four, five; Once I caught a fish alive
(5) Sing a rainbow

I believe it would have also earned her a communication badge to add to all her others. Very well done. We are very proud of you especially as you have only had 4 lessons. You obviously have been practicing at home.

—
Maureen

Making donations to support PMP
We originally set up an option for users to make a donation via PayPal to help fund the ongoing running costs of the group. The use of PayPal was discontinued in favour of the GoFundMe service which visitors to our website might find easier to use. However, the link to the GoFundMe page was removed as the campaign was not continued beyond its expiry date. Thank you to those that donated to our group through this method of fund-raising. If you wish to support the group financially, please contact Maureen.

Mayor’s Charity Fund
In April 2015 we received a lovely letter from the Mayor of Sefton’s Office with a cheque to the sum of £259.91 to help our group. Many thanks to the Mayor of Sefton’s Charity Fund.

December 2014 Newsletter

Classes taking a break during January 2015
All our PMP classes are now taking a break until February 2015. The Monday class restarts on 2 February, and the Friday class begins on 6 February. Maureen and her Committee would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

2014 Annual General Meeting
Our Get-together and Annual General Meeting took place on Monday, 1 December.

Certificates awarded
Certificates were presented recently for finger-spelling to the following adults: Wendy, Barbara, Claire, Veronica, Doreen and Debbie. Five children also received certificates; they were Ben, Naomi, Catherine, Joseph and Pheboe.

Subtitled films at the Mount Pub
Subtitled films are shown for free at the Mount Pub on Manchester Road in Southport every Thursday afternoon at 2.30pm. If you decide to go along with friends for lunch, it is a good idea to ring 01704 542421 to reserve a table. There is a special £4.95 meal deal, which includes a drink and ice-cream.

November 2013 Newsletter

2013 Annual General Meeting
Our last Monday session for 2013 will be on 25 November. We will have our AGM then as well. Maureen will also bring some cakes. Classes re-start on 13 January 2014.

Lip-reading practice
If you need to practice your lip-reading skills, please check out this website: www.lipreadingpractice.co.uk.

Teaching BSL in Germany
Stefan, teacher of sign language to 10-12 year olds in Germany, is introducing BSL and English to his pupils. He has created lip pattern symbols to go with Valerie Sutton’s Sign Writing symbols. He has been watching Maureen’s DVD Basic Sign Language and has now started to teach the children English and BSL He has produced BSL Signwriting alphabet and also our group’s name in sign writing, and they are on our Facebook as well as in the Great Britain dictionary on signwriting.org.

Talk for Trifoil Group
In September Maureen did a talk for the Trifoil Group in Crossens. She received a donation of £35, and sold some items raising £13.50.

Community Development Foundation grant
We have received £1,500 from the Community Development Foundation (cdf.org.uk). This money is to be used towards venue costs, Internet use, travel and an e-book for sign language apps.

December 2012 Newsletter

Merry Christmas!
Maureen wishes all members a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Donation from Mayor’s Fund
We have received £203.68 from the Mayor of Sefton’s Fund.

Volunteer support in the community
Jonny [level 3] is going into a Birkdale infant school to support a teacher who is teaching the children the alphabet and some basic signing.

Helen Pinch [level 2] has supported a deaf lady while she attended a course on breast-feeding as the mother wants to be able to help other mothers-to-be who are deaf. Helen is also helping Maureen at Prestfield School where they are doing 4 sessions teaching Mums.

Maureen has been teaching the Brownies & Guides to sign Silent Night at the Salvation Army for the Carol Service on Sunday 16 December. Maureen is also teaching St Philips’ teachers to sign Away in a Manger so they can teach the children for their Carol Service.

Classes update
Our last sessions for this year were on Friday 8 December & Monday 10 December. Classes restart on Monday 14 January & Friday 18 January.

From Friday 23 November we started meeting at the Salvation Army. This is because the Joint Learning Partnership need the room we were using at the Shakespeare Centre. They need this room for extra free training courses for young people over 16 years old.

Any members who haven’t attended for a while are requested to return any resources they have. Please return them to Maureen at the Salvation Army on Shakespeare Street or ring her on 01704 546626 or text 07960 984306 to arrange drop-off/pick-up.

Our Monday evening class at the Salvation Army has moved to the Blue Room, which is nearer to the street.

We have a publicity advert in this year’s Southport Council Map. Please keep this if it is delivered to you. We have an advert in it, which tells people about our classes, and the pink logo marks Shakespeare Street on the map. This can be given to newcomers and people outside of the area.

2012 Annual General Meeting
Our AGM was held on Monday, 24 September. Click the link to download the minutes of that meeting.

Interview in Hearing Times
Maureen has been interviewed by Hearing Times. The article is in the Autumn edition of the newspaper.

Awareness and talks
Maureen gave a talk to the Rotary Club on 1 August. On 2 August we had an awareness stand at ASDA from 1 till 4pm.

The talk in Thornton in July went extremely well. We had donations of over £100.

On Thursday 5 July we had a stand at P.A.C.T.S. in the Gild Hall, Formby from 10am till 2pm.

Stephen passes BSL Level 1
Stephen Walker, one of our volunteers, has passed his BSL Level 1 exams. Congratulations to him from us all.

 

June 2012 Newsletter

Change to Monday class venue
Starting Monday 2 July our evening classes will be held at the Salvation Army’s new church on Shakespeare Street. This will be our permanent Monday evening venue. The church has disabled access and toilet as well as internet facilities and a large parking area. The cost will be considerably cheaper, which also includes our refreshments.

There is a cafe which is open weekdays until 4pm, and prices are very reasonable.

Deaf Awareness Week
This week is Deaf Awareness Week. To highlight Deaf Awareness Week, PMP will be raising awareness at Ron’s Therapeutic Art Group Exhibition at Mersey Boat Club, Pilling Lane, Lydiate on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th May. Maureen and Mavis will be available to give out information.

Maureen will also be giving a talk on 16 May at a church near Thornton.

Updated dictioiary on signwriting.org.uk
Maureen has added 100s of words into the dictionary and literature sections of www.signwriting.org.uk. When you go on the website, the left Union Jack flag is the dictionary and the right Union Jack flag is the literature section.

Not open on Bank Holidays!
Just a reminder that the Marian Centre is NOT open on Bank Holiday Mondays.

Our last date at the Centre before the summer holidays will be 25 June. The Centre will be closed ALL of July and August. However, we will be meeting at a local pub instead. Details at a later date.

We re-open at the Marian Centre on 3 September until 26 November, which will be our Christmas get-together. We will then re-open on 14 January 2013.

January 2012 Newsletter

Fliers and posters at Southport College
PMP members will be giving out fliers and fingerspelling posters from their stand at Southport College at lunchtime on Monday 30 January.

Roundelay Choir
Our grateful thanks go to Roundelay Choir. We have received a donation of £150 from them. The choir will be singing with Marshside Brass Band at a fundraiser concert of Christmas music to raise funds for Queenscourt Hospice. This takes place on Thursday 15 December at 7.30pm at Marshside Road Methodist Church. Refreshments will be served and a collection taken on the evening.

Christmas and New Year plans
Our Christmas get-together is on Monday 12 December at 6-8pm. This will be the last session of the year with mince pies, nibbles and chocolates. Please let Maureen know if you’ll be attending the Christmas get-together or just popping in for half an hour. Maureen needs to know numbers and what you’ll be bringing.

After the Christmas break, we re-open on Monday 16 January 2012, subject to weather conditions. Our free mini-courses start in the New Year; Monday 23 January at the Marian Centre 6-8pm and Friday 27 January at Joint Learning Partnership, 1.30-3.30pm. If you know anyone who is interested, please get their name to Maureen. Places are limited. As we have the space and resources at both centres, signing sessions to improve skills and support for learning other comunication skills will continue.

£100 from Mayor’s Fund
We have received £100 from the Mayors’ Fund. This will pay for the first 3 sessions at the Marian Centre in the New Year.

Making donations to PMP via bank
If you’d like to make a donation to help us continue our work, this can be done via your bank and payments should be made to Practice Makes Perfect with account number 35540931. The sort code is 60-20-11.

Adactus Housing Award
Many thanks to Adactus Housing Association who have awarded us £400 from their Neighbourhood Fund Grant. This is a restricted award and is for stationery.

NatWest CommunityForce and Adactus Housing
We have been shortlisted for the NatWest CommunityForce. This supports all kinds of local projects and charities throughout England and Wales. You can find out more or vote for PMP here: http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/5126

We have also been shortlisted for the Adactus Housing Foundation. Maureen is being interviewed by their panel on 15 September.

New venue for Friday class
PMP is opening again at their new premises this Friday, 9 September 1.30-3pm at the Shakespeare Centre, Shakespeare Street, Southport, PR8 5AB. Use the new lift on your left in the corner; it now goes right to the Joint Learning Centre on the 4th floor. New learners always welcome. Many thanks to the Joint Learning Partnership for their continued support.

Friday class closed for fortnight
The Friday afternoon class is now closed for 2 weeks as the Joint Learning Partnership is moving to Shakespeare Street. They will be based on the 3rd floor at the Shakespeare Centre. We expect to re-start at the new venue on 9 September.

2011 Annual General Meeting
Just to remind everyone that our Annual General Meeting is on Monday, 26 September at 6.15pm at the Marian Centre, Bath St North. The early start is to allow some of our members to leave early to start their BSL Level 1 course at Shoreline Church.

Our learning and practice session will be on as usual at 6pm prior to the A.G.M. Any questions for ‘Any Other Business’ to be included in the Agenda should be sent before 26 August to maureengndoyle@hotmail.com. Everyone welcome.

June 2011 Newsletter

General PMP news
Welcome to Joanne, our new volunteer, who is doing a wonderful job making our refreshments on Monday evenings.

The recent talk for the U3A group was very successful. Over 70 people listened to Maureen give a short talk about why and how our group came to be started. They then joined in to learn fingerspelling and the basics of signing by singing and signing Sing a Rainbow. Everyone had the opportunity of receiving free RNID fingerspelling posters and literature. A cheque for £50 was donated to PMP. One U3A member said: “That’s the most enjoyable and best talk we have ever had.”

Maureen has been adding interesting sites and information she has found to our group’s Facebook page. Please join and pass on information about our Facebook page.

Members, please have a look at this new website – www.slls.eu – it may be helpful to you.

We have recently purchased baby signing books and flash cards for both children and adults to use at our classes.

Sutton Signwriting at Gallaudet
For those who attended our Sutton Signwriting Workshop, you may be interested to know that Sutton Signwriting is to be presented at Gallaudet University.

Sign language practice at Shoreline Church
Sign language practice at Shoreline Church on Mornington Road takes place on Wednesdays 7.30-8.30pm. This new group, organised by Gary Foulds, got off to a good start last Wednesday [13 April] with Maureen presenting a workshop.

The group is for anyone wanting to learn the basics of sign language as well as pracising with others. Christian signs will also be included. PMP members are welcome to attend and share their skills too.

Nine new people at Monday’s class
Yesterday at our Monday session [18 April] we had 9 new people attending, some of them children, bringing the total attendance to 25. It was a great evening.

Sadly, we are closed for the Bank Holidays. In the meantime, keep practising and see you after the holidays.

Trailer for new short film My Song
A trailer for a new short film called My Song has been released. It was funded by BSLBT and will be shown online and on digital TV on 23 May.

Camping weekend with Sign Circle
Sign Circle is hosting a camping weekend on 22-25 July at Longridge Showground. Events taking place include a drumming workshop, a play bus for kids, a climbing tower, archery, power kite flying, signer Giuseppe Giuranna and deaf comedian John Smith. Visit signcircle.org.uk for more info and order your tickets if you wish to attend.

Learn to Sign Group at Shoreline Church
Shoreline Church is to start a Learn to Sign Group. Maureen will present the first workshop – “An Introduction to Signing” – to church members on Wednesday, 13 April at 7.30pm.

The group members want to learn the basics of sign language to be able to communicate with deaf members of the community as well as Christian signs to use in church. The new group will be encouraged to continue learning and practising sign language with the support of Practice Makes Perfect members on Monday evenings.

If you are interested in becoming a part of the church group, please contact Gary Foulds on 07540 777188 or at our Monday evening class.

Diversity Day at Southport College
Diversity Day at Southport College on Wednesday, 9 March. PMP information stand in entrance 11am-3pm. Workshop in conference room at 12pm. Volunteers required to man the stand for an hour or two to give out RNID fingerspelling and sign language booklets. Please get in touch.

Census 2011
Census 2011 takes place on 27 March. Help for deaf people with filling in the form will be available at the Information & Awareness Day on 26 March.

Subtitles now available on ITV Player
Subtitles are now available on the ITV Player for programmes such as Coronation Street and Emmerdale. It is their aim to have subtitles available for 70% of catch-up content.