With me learning, if I keep up with it I can teach other people, it’s a ripple effect. If I’m in a shop in the future and someone needs assistance I could now assist them.
With me learning, if I keep up with it I can teach other people, it’s a ripple effect. If I’m in a shop in the future and someone needs assistance I could now assist them.
Helen
Hughenden Gardens Village
Meet staff member Helen Brown!
Meet Helen!
Staff member Helen discusses learning BSL and assisting behind the scenes with the show Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands, New Tricks.
How have you found the experience?
It was enlightening, learning BSL was brilliant, especially in the classroom, some of the stories that we were told brought us to tears. If everyone knew sign language or had someone, they work with who knew it then we could save lives. It was about assisting the film crew for me, I’ve enjoyed being behind the scenes.
Watching our residents have they had transformative journeys?
I think Karen and Pam had a real journey and Sue especially, the fact she has learned sign language with her eyesight issues, that to me is amazing.
What was your favourite day of filming?
I would have to say the graduation ceremony, watching all their speeches was so emotional, we also presented a picture of all the residents to the crew and presenters.
As a staff member how did the process work?
There was a morning group and an afternoon group for residents and staff had a separate group. We attended some of the events on site but the residents went off site to events.
So much more goes on behind the scenes than I realised with a tv show. A lot work involved in it, and I loved doing it and was happy to support.
Did you learn anything new about yourself?
You’re never too old to learn, I never thought I’d do this, oh gosh yes I really want to get my level 1. I brought my son to the graduation ceremony and I taught him to say ‘my name is Tom’ and he went to Rose and introduced himself and she was so delighted. With me learning, if I keep up with it I can teach other people, it’s a ripple effect. If I’m in a shop in the future and someone needs assistance I could now assist them.
Lessons should be in schools, if it’s something you could do through school once you’ve learned, I’d hope it’s like learning a bike and it stays with you and you can go on and teach others.
How was the teaching?
Marios was such a lovely teacher, so much, fun put us at so much ease. He made it fun. He presents it in a dynamic way, you can’t help but absorb it. You are learning without hearing.
Why learn BSL in later life?
Because your hearing does deteriorate if BSL was your only form of communication you could continue communicating indefinitely, it’s great for the brain to keep learning, the more you use it, the less it’s likely to decay. So long as you keep your brain going you are going to be cognitively able to keep going.
What kind of legacy will this show leave?
I am really hopeful for us continuing the legacy long after the show has ended. I set up resident groups afterwards, which are weekly classes so they could keep learning which is taught by one of our residents Mark. It has been great to have an input and to see the residents carry on is brilliant. We are also hopefully working our way towards being recognised as a Deaf Hub. In terms of a legacy as our resident who passed away before the show aired showed being able to use another form of communication before you pass away really is invaluable.
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It's quite a big thing to take on you know, we're trying to actually get better at it and go further with it, but trying new things at any age, particularly at this age can be hard. At this age life has it’s mundanities and to change that day-to-day mundaneness shall we say, it's a really good thing. I think it's really healthy.