Herons’ Moor welcomes visitors for Deaf Awareness Week

Pupils at Herons’ Moor Academy welcomed some very special visitors during a recent assembly to mark Deaf Awareness Week.

Emm, Lucy and Ozzie the assistance dog visited the academy alongside their handler to help raise awareness and understanding of deafness and hearing loss.

Deaf Awareness Week is an annual campaign aimed at highlighting the experiences of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, breaking down communication barriers, and promoting inclusivity.

During the assembly, visitors spoke to pupils about the importance of raising awareness about deafness and celebrating British deaf culture and community to ensure no-one feels like an outsider.

Pupils also had the opportunity to learn some basic sign language to help them communicate with people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

A spokesperson for the academy said: “It was wonderful to welcome Emm, Lucy and Ozzie to our school and give pupils the opportunity to learn more about Deaf Awareness Week.

“The children were fully engaged and enjoyed learning sign language and understanding how we can all play a part in making communication more inclusive for everyone.”