DEAF children and their hearing friends in Chester spent a day in a purple bus taking part in informative and engaging workshops about all aspects of deafness.

The Roadshow, an eight-ton purple bus that turns into a high-tech classroom, visited pupils at St Werburgh's and St Columba's School, delivering support, advice and information to some of the 246 deaf children who live in Cheshire West and Chester.

The Roadshow team spent the day delivering workshops to deaf children, hearing friends, teachers and parents.

One of the workshops, Look, Smile, Chat, provided advice and tips on how to communicate with a deaf child:

  • Get their attention with a wave, or a tap on the shoulder
  • Speak one at a time
  • Face them when speaking
  • Don't cover your mouth
  • Be visual! Don't be afraid to use gestures or actions
  • Never give up and say "I'll tell you later"!

Another workshop promoted mental health and emotional wellbeing support for deaf children. Through creative and fun activities, deaf children learnt what good emotional health is and how best to ensure both their bodies and minds remain healthy.

This included identifying strategies to help manage their own mental health.

The National Deaf Children's Society also showcased the latest technology and equipment available to deaf children to accompany the key skills learnt on the day.

This ranged from flashing doorbells and vibrating alarm clocks, to Bluetooth neckloops that can make it easier to listen to an iPod or a mobile phone.

Steve Gardiner, outreach officer for the National Deaf Children's Society, and is deaf himself, said: "Deaf children can do anything other children can do, given the right support.

"A visit from the Roadshow can make a real difference for a deaf child struggling with confidence, independence or communication and the more we can do to spread deaf awareness and information, the better."

Mark Gill, outreach officer on the Roadshow, who is deaf himself and drives the Roadshow bus, added: "Around 78 per cent of deaf children in the UK go to mainstream schools where they may be the only deaf child.

"As the Roadshow travels across the UK we work to empower young deaf children and raise awareness of deafness among their hearing peers. I see our impact when hearing the positive feedback from children and their parents."