FESTIVAL Place is backing a deaf awareness campaign to encourage retailers to learn how to better communicate with the deaf and hard-of-hearing.

The shopping centre is supporting the We Support Deaf Awareness campaign, which was set up by Simon Houghton from Kempshott who has been deaf since birth.

Mr Houghton set up the campaign to support deaf awareness in workplaces, shops and venues to help employees to be better able to communicate with the deaf and hard of hearing communities.

He said: “The pandemic has posed particular struggles for deaf people. Challenges over virtual meetings, facemask wearing and the impossibility of lip-reading have made life incredibly difficult for many people suffering from hearing loss during the past year.

“My vision is that I can walk into a shopping centre, a building reception, or office, and I can see my campaign’s cards, which tell me that the employees in this organisation understand what it’s like to be deaf.

“So they understand the frustration of being unable to lipread because of masks, and they’ve learned tips to help them communicate more effectively with someone who is deaf.

“The result? A more human, understanding, empathetic and kind conversation.”

The shopping and leisure centre is inviting its retailers to sign up for free training on how to be better able to communicate with the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities.

All participating stores will then display signs demonstrating staff awareness to customers.

Simon’s campaign consists of two parts: training and promotion, in a bid to get employees trained in how to make life easier for people struggling to engage in two-way conversation.

Training sessions will show employees how to make life easier for people struggling to engage in two-way conversation.

Rachel Carter, business performance manager, added: “We are so proud to collaborate with Simon and offer all employees and retailers free training as part of this fantastic initiative.

“With masks set to be in place for the foreseeable future, it is vital that our deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors are supported in every way possible to overcome the communication challenges they face.”

The #WeSupportDeafAwarenss campaign launched at Festival Place on February 1.

For more information, visit www.festivalplace.co.uk, or https://wesupportdeafawareness.org/