Samera Jones: Why I’m giving back to the deaf community with a charity fundraiser (BSL)

Hi everyone, I’m Samera, and I want to share my journey of learning British Sign Language (BSL) — as well as an exciting fundraiser I’m currently taking part in.

I began learning BSL in December 2024 after being told that my granddaughter, who is autistic, may not develop spoken language. At the time, my motivation was simple: I wanted to be able to communicate with her, no matter what. But what started as something very personal has grown into something much bigger than I ever imagined.

Since starting my BSL journey, I’ve faced some difficult times in my personal life. However, one of the most incredible things about learning BSL has been the people I’ve met along the way. The friendships and support I’ve found within the BSL and Deaf community have been truly life-changing. It’s a community I didn’t even know existed before, and now I can’t imagine my life without it.

I currently study BSL online with Sign Core, which I absolutely love, and I also attend face-to-face classes with Sign Zone, supported by Deaf Connexions. The mix of online and in-person learning has really helped me grow in confidence and skill. I’ve also been lucky enough to receive encouragement from others in the community, including learners connected to BSL tutor Steve Hurley. Even though I’m not enrolled in his courses, his support has meant a lot to me and has helped motivate me to keep pushing forward.

My goal is to progress to Level 3 BSL by the end of this year, all being well. Learning a language takes time and dedication, but it’s something I genuinely enjoy every single day.

Outside of my own learning, I work as a teacher at Red Balloon in Norwich, a setting that supports children from all walks of life, many of whom are also learning BSL. I also teach in a SEND school, where BSL is part of daily communication. In these environments, BSL becomes more than just a language — it becomes a bridge. The children even have their own sign names, and sometimes they share things in BSL that they might not feel comfortable saying out loud. That’s incredibly powerful to witness.

At home, BSL has become something special that I share with my family. My grandchildren love learning signs — numbers, colours, animals, transport — and it’s become our “secret language.” My daughter often laughs when they come home showing off new signs they’ve learned with me.

Each of my grandchildren has their own unique connection to BSL. My grandson, who has ADHD, has picked up signs in his own way — including cheekily signing “Nanny, you’re old!” (and insisting on using that sign even when I tell him I’m not!). My four-year-old granddaughter loves the sign for pizza and uses BSL to ask for food and drinks. These moments are small but incredibly meaningful — they’re building communication, connection, and joy.

BSL has also had a profound impact on my personal life. I even met my partner through BSL classes. He’s a veteran and is hard of hearing, with his hearing continuing to decline. Because we both use BSL, it’s not something we worry about in our relationship — we know we’ll always be able to communicate.

I often think about how different things might feel without BSL. For many people, losing hearing can be frightening and isolating, especially without access to learning sign language. We feel incredibly lucky that, for us, communication will never be a barrier.

Before I started learning BSL, I had no connection at all to the Deaf community. I had never really thought about it. But through Deaf Connexions and Sign Zone, I discovered just how large, welcoming, and supportive this community is. It has completely changed my perspective.

One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced in learning BSL has been access to funding. As a working adult, financial support is very limited, and courses can be expensive. While the money is absolutely worth it, it does make it harder for many people to continue learning or gain qualifications.

What’s even more difficult is knowing that there are Deaf individuals who would love to gain BSL qualifications but simply can’t afford to. We live in a society where subjects like English and maths are funded and encouraged — and rightly so — but language accessibility should be just as important. BSL has the power to bring people together, break down barriers, and create real inclusion.

As a teacher, I also see the impact that better access to training could have. With more funding and opportunities, we could have more qualified people supporting those who need BSL, and fewer barriers for those wanting to learn. There is so much potential to make communication more inclusive for everyone.

This is one of the reasons I’m so passionate about the fundraiser I’m currently involved in. Deaf Connexions recently put out a call for people to take part in a charity walk to climb Ben Nevis, raising funds for their work. I applied — and I’m incredibly proud to say that I’ve been selected.

This challenge means a lot to me. The funds raised will go towards supporting Deaf Connexions and potentially creating a new Deaf centre in Norwich, after the previous one sadly closed. That centre was once a vital space where people could meet, learn, and connect. Bringing something like that back would make a huge difference to so many lives.

Taking on this climb is my way of giving back to a community that has given me so much — friendship, confidence, purpose, and connection.

More than anything, I hope my journey encourages others to consider learning BSL. Whether you’re hearing or Deaf, it shouldn’t define who you are, where you go, or the friendships you make. We all deserve to live in an inclusive world — and learning to communicate with one another is a powerful place to start.

BSL has become part of my life at home, at work, and in my relationships. It started as a way to connect with my granddaughter, but it has grown into something that shapes who I am every day.

Samera’s fundraiser can be found here.