Jase Trotter: Spreading deaf awareness through signed songs and stories with Santa this Christmas (BSL)

Hi, my name is Jase Trotter, I’m deaf, I wear two hearing aids and I’m from Plymouth. I currently work full time as a Communication Support Worker supporting deaf children and young people across a primary and secondary school. Both mainstream schools have a dedicated support base for deaf children.

I am also a BSL/Deaf Awareness tutor and I deliver basic workshops to members of the public. In addition to this I am currently part of a signing choir called Hands In Harmony which was formed back in 2019.

Within the choir we perform a range of signed songs at different performances and venues in Plymouth throughout the year. My role is to choose, listen, translate, teach and perform songs for the signing choir. I get so much joy out of translating songs because of the emotion and simplicity that signing can truly bring to a song.

BSL has been ingrained in me through my job as a Communication Support Worker and I love how it helps children who use BSL as their first language access mainstream education.

Reflecting on my personal inspirations, I have to firstly say my daughter, Grace inspires me every single day. Grace has a life limiting condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1, which weakens her muscles and makes her extremely vulnerable to respiratory illnesses. The determination and resilience that she shows every day to not let her disability hold her back, is incredibly emotional for me. 

Paul Whittaker who is a very experienced signed song performer is also an inspiration to me. He’s has supported me with being able to translate songs in BSL and this has given me the confidence to lead the signing choir and perform signing solos.

I’ve been teaching and signing songs since 2019 when I first became involved in the signing choir Hands In Harmony. My training for signing songs really has mostlyncome from watching Paul who I mentioned above as he is an experienced sign/song performer.

Recently I performed a signed solo of Ed Sheeran’s Supermarket Flowers to an audience of over 200 people. It was the first time I ever had this opportunity and it was an emotional performance just because of how powerfully the signing was able to convey emotion.

A friend of mine who volunteers at Saltram House in Plymouth recommended that I get involved with events there this Christmas. Their intention is to make Christmas stories and songs with Santa more accessible to the deaf community and my friend recommended me for this. My role is to provide sign support alongside Santa whilst he reads stories and sings songs.

This is the first time I will be providing sign support at an event like this but I have performed signed songs elsewhere. Our choir, Hands In Harmony performed Christmas songs at the Plymouth Christmas Market a couple years ago. I was one of the song leaders and I thoroughly enjoyed performing in front of the audience.

Historically, in my experience, Christmas events have not been as inclusive as they are starting to be now. Society is changing and becoming more accepting of making sure events are accessible for deaf and disabled people. Whether that be making sure ramps are installed around the event, subtitles are used on information videos or providing signing videos where appropriate.

Looking forwards to this Christmas I would like to think I would be on Santa’s good list this year and I really hope that Santa supports me in my journey to spreading awareness of the importance of BSL and Deaf Awareness. 

Written by Jase Trotter.

TYou can find “Sign with Jase” on YouTube.