Throughout 2020, community group Funky Kids engaged families in trips, activities and community events at local heritage sites in Walsall, one of our Areas of Focus. These included the Black Country Living Museum, Church on the Corner Walsall and Sandwell Park and Farm – a historical, restored working farm.  

Activities involved a tour of the Black Country Living Museum – which also held lessons in an old school setting – to learn about what life was like in the Black Country years ago. As well as a spring food festival, showcasing how fruits and vegetables were grown in the past.

It was fantastic that the families could learn new skills without having any communication barriers, which is a big problem in the deaf community.

Volunteer at Funky Kids

Having access to these activities at local heritage sites aimed to tackle isolation in the local Deaf/deaf community. It also gave families the opportunity to learn new skills that some are now using in their own lives. For example, many have continued to plant and grow their own vegetables at home.

A volunteer from the project said: “It was fantastic that the families could learn new skills without having any communication barriers, which is a big problem in the deaf community. However, all information was easy to access.”

Families had the chance to discover new interests while making connections within their community.