Three local leisure operators have teamed up with Bolton Deaf Society to make accessibility to fitness and exercise less daunting for the profoundly deaf and hard-of-hearing community.

A month-long trial is running at Bolton Arena Sports Village, Farnworth Leisure Centre and Leverhulme Park Community Leisure Centre, where front-line staff such as receptionists, gym instructors, and customer service representatives have had deaf awareness and basic British Sign Language (BSL) training so they can communicate more effectively with deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors.

Fourteen deaf community members have enlisted for the trial aimed at removing the need for sign language interpreters, making them self-sufficient when they visit a leisure centre, gym or swimming pool.

Zienna Hall, Project Lead at Bolton Deaf Society, said: “For someone who is profoundly deaf and uses British Sign Language - a visual not written language - as their first language, coming into a leisure centre can be very daunting with all the way-finding signs, registration and assessment forms, and instructions on safe equipment use in English – particularly when the staff in-situ can’t communicate with them.

“What we want to do is take away communication barriers and, ultimately, the need for interpreters, growing enthusiasm among the deaf community towards physical activity and regular participation.

“We did a trial last year and with interpreters in all the sessions, so all the deaf people used the interpreter and so did the staff. By the time the interpreter was taken away, staff had forgotten much of their deaf awareness/BSL training, and no one knew what to do.

“The venues weren’t able to commit to covering costs associated with an interpreter and/or communications support and positive momentum fell away. We learned a great deal.

“This time the staff have had deaf awareness and BSL training again, but we’re only having the interpreter present for the first session to go through the registration and well-being forms and to show them the gym equipment and so on.

“Then we are removing the interpreter for the next three to four sessions, so we can get feedback from the cohort that has put themselves forward about how leisure centre professionals are applying learning from their training.”

Lee Wood, Head of Commercial at Bolton Arena Sports Village, says: “We’ve all worked together to come up with a consistent approach when someone who is deaf or hard-of-hearing walks through the door. We don’t want to alienate them, we want them to enjoy the experience, so the journey is no different to anyone else. Ultimately, it’s the centre that has to adapt not the person.”

The trial has evolved from a post Covid survey called What Deaf People Want prepared for Bolton Deaf Society, Manchester Deaf Centre and Walthew House in Stockport, which found Bolton had approximately 600 BSL users and an estimated 55,000 people with hearing loss of some kind.

Zienna said: “It isn’t just about being profoundly deaf any more. Outside of that, there are people with cochlear implants, suffering from tinnitus, or hard of hearing through work, serving in the forces or old age. There are all kinds of reasons for hearing loss.

“Bolton Deaf Society was formed 155 years ago to serve British Sign Language users, but we’ve broadened our horizons in recent years for obvious reasons as we want to support as many people as we can.”

The survey found the most common support needs among those who participated were socialising, keeping fit and healthy, making telephone calls, peer support, booking appointments and translating information into BSL.

One of those taking part in the current trial is Kathryn Bellairs, now a playgroup leader with Bolton Deaf Society, who has a cochlear implant after losing all of her hearing aged about 10.

She says: “My instructor, Nate, gave good face and eye contact, showed me what I was supposed to do and stood in front of me on each occasion to get a proper look. He gave good hand signals, gestures, directions and assurance each time if wanted to change or add more things to what I was doing.

“Initially, it was a bit daunting walking in, but everyone just carried on doing their own thing. I have come away feeling positive about it.”

Cllr Nadeem Ayub said: “Bolton has a large population of residents with hearing impairments and it's great to see Bolton Arena, Farnworth Leisure Centre and Leverhulme Park Community Leisure Centre have all recognised this and are working hard with Bolton Deaf society to improve opportunities for people with hearing problems. I look forward to seeing this develop and improve access and break down the barriers of leading a healthy life.”

The trial has been funded thanks to a £5,000 donation from the Manchester-based Zochonis Charitable Trust, set up by Sir John Zochonis in 1977 to support charities operating primarily in the North West of England, close to the Manchester headquarters of PZ Cussons, of which the Zochonis family is a major shareholder. Its aim is to provide financial assistance in the spheres of health, education, youth and social equity.