Heywood Church runs sign language course

Date published: 21/10/2006

When thirty five young people travelled to Lourdes last summer as part of the 900-strong Salford Diocesan Pilgrimage, as helpers with the sick and less able, several of them were fascinated by the use of Sign Language to communicate with pilgrims from the Deaf community. They, and Father Paul Daly, Parish Priest at Saint Joseph’s, Heywood, came back determined to learn Sign Language.

Unfortunately the only Level One course in Rochdale this year is on a Thursday and elsewhere in the Borough; not possible for many of the would-be learners.

Fortunately, a professionally qualified tutor was found and the course begins this week at Saint Joseph’s. Over 20 people from Heywood have expressed a willingness to learn for their Level One qualification.

Father Daly said: "That so many people want to develop the skills necessary to communicate in Sign Language is wonderful. Several of the participants are students in full-time education who have to pay full-rate for the course so they are really giving of themselves in more ways than one in order to increase the communication skills for the good of all in our community."