SignHealth: How to get involved with sign2sing 2018!

I’m Louise and I am a member of the Fundraising Team at SignHealth (a supporter of this site). We work hard to improve the health and wellbeing of people who are Deaf with services like DeafHope, BSL Healthy Minds, Interpreter Now and much more.

I have joined the team to focus on our fundraising events. One of which is sign2sing, a fun annual event now in its eighth year. Participants learn a specially written song in sign language and perform it during sign2sing week- this year running from February 5^th-11^th 2018. Each group that registers receives a free DVD which includes the full signing song and a tutorial to help you get started.

The purpose of the event is to raise vital funds for SignHealth, to increase Deaf awareness while also encouraging participants to learn some sign language (and have some fun!).

This unique event has grown from strength to strength, it started off as a Guinness World Record Breaking initiative. “The most people performing sign language simultaneously to the same song in different locations is 116,980 and was organised by the charity SignHealth in schools across the UK on February 6^th 2013”. Now that we have secured this record breaking title, I am focusing on how to get more people involved signing and singing each year.

This year, I hope to make my mark on sign2sing. Now that we have launched our song, resources and website, I can focus on bringing some new ideas to sign2sing for 2018. I am aiming to pull some ideas from my background, my previous job was in theatre and before that I worked for an events company in Ireland- in fact, some ghoulish characters from that company have been practising the song for 2018!

The best part about working on sign2sing so far for me has been the warm response to the event, particularly from those who have participated before. This annual event now has a firm place in the diary for so many schools and organisations, but we want there to be even more!

Could you get involved? There are so many ways that you can:

• Sign-A-Line: Send us footage of you and your group practising our song for 2018- outtakes accepted!
• Register: Recruit your local school, Brownie group, Choir, Business, Sports Club etc. to join sign2sing 2018.
• Fundraise: Raise much needed funds for SignHealth by holding a sign2sing workshop or have a sign and sing off with another group.

Any new ideas are welcome; we like to think outside the box! If you would like to discuss this event further, get in touch lcremin@signhealth.org.uk or 0203 947 2605

Register your sign2sing event here http://sign2sing.org.uk/register-now/

P.S. Most of our offices are signing environments. We are making our Head Office a signing environment as well. I am doing my BSL level 1 and am loving it. Wish me luck!

Remember to follow us on Twitter (@sign2sing) and like our Facebook (sign2sing) page to get all the latest sign2sing news.