Deaf News: Four Deaf women cycle 300 miles from London to Paris raising money for Deaf children

To support the cyclists, donate here: http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/deaf-roots-and-pride

Bronwynne Buxton, Caroline Fearon, Wendy Scott and Abbie Willis have completed the British Deaf Association’s 125 Year Charity Bike ride, cycling 300 miles from London to Paris.

The team raised funds for the British Deaf Association’s Deaf Roots and Pride project, an initiative that helps improve the lives of Deaf children and young people by employing Deaf mentors work with them to boost their confidence, self-esteem and their communication skills.

The BDA has successfully piloted the Deaf Roots & Pride project in Northern Ireland and the Midlands, transforming the lives of over 550 Deaf Children so far and also 61 young Deaf people have received 922 mentoring sessions.

The cost of rolling out the project to other areas in England is £70,000 a year for the next two years, meaning that many more Deaf children will get the vital support they need to have a brighter and better future.

The riders said beforehand: “Something like Deaf Roots & Pride would have been really useful for me when I was young and that is why I am passionate about supporting it. The pain of riding 75 miles a day will be worth it knowing that so many deaf youngsters will benefit.”

Sue Barry, Project Manager for the BDA’s Deaf Roots & Pride project says: “There is a huge demand from families of Deaf children for our Deaf mentors. The project is clearly having a positive impact on deaf children’s self-esteem and it helps them develop skills which break down communication barriers.”

You can send a donation to: BDA, 356 Holloway Road, London N7 6PA or via the crowdfunding website: http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/deaf-roots-and-pride