News
Bristol Deaf Art Group
Centre for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People is pleased to share this wonderful video below featuring the members of the Bristol Deaf Art Group. They talk about their relationship with art and their experience over eight sessions, led by James Banks.
The group formed as a result of CfD’s Small Community Grant scheme, and we are so proud of the members for acquiring new skills in art, but also for the confidence they have developed to continue to be creative. The members talk about the impact that direct communication in BSL to learn a new skill has had on them.
The art group and various other activity groups which have formed from our grant scheme has shown us that direct communication in BSL, with new and familiar faces, is fundamental to the wellbeing of our community.
With thanks to Bristol City Council’s Impact Fund for their continued support with our activity groups.
Hard of Hearing Support Group – July 2026
We were pleased to host Alice Honour, Specialist Audiologist from Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, at our Hard of Hearing Support Group session on 29th July 2026.
Alice gave an overview on the following:
– What happens in an audiology appointment
– Different hearing aid programmes and settings
– Bluetooth and Auracast
The group had many questions to ask Alice and interesting discussions were held throughout the session.
We also used the session as an opportunity to experiment with using accessibility features on laptops to enable live captioning – the participants gave positive feedback and we will strive to provide this for future sessions.
Our next session will be on: Wednesday 26th August. Please check our Event Calendar for updates and further information.
*UPDATE* A message from the trustees and staff of CfD
As requested by the family, we are sharing details of the funeral and celebration of the life of Jo Stevens.
Jo’s funeral will be held at 12:00pm on Tuesday 8th September at Higher Ground Meadow, Hackney, Corscombe, Dorset DT2 0QN.
If you would like to attend the funeral and reception please contact Marcus by email no later than Friday 21st August, so that the family can plan refreshments.
Click here to see the tribute website, dedicated to the memory of Jo, for contact details and more information
CfD’s original message (dated: 23rd July 2026):
The trustees and staff were saddened to hear the news of the passing of Joanna Stevens on 17th July.
Jo passed away peacefully after a short period in hospital following a fall. She was surrounded by family and close friends.
She was a much loved and valued member of staff (2023-2024), volunteer and friend to all of us at CfD and we will miss her greatly. Her smile and passion for art was both inspiring and infectious.
Our thoughts and condolences are with her family and friends during this sad time.
CfD will share any relevant updates we receive from Jo’s family regarding any memorial services.
Please see our BSL video below.
Bristol Disability Pride Day 2026
CfD had the pleasure of working alongside Bristol Disability Equality Forum (BDEF) to support Bristol City Council's Disability Pride event 2026 which was held on Saturday 20th June.
CfD Quiz Night 2026
Join us for a Quiz Night at Westbury-on-Trym Village Hall. Our event will have BSL interpreters, live captions, and hearing loop system. See our video and poster for more information.
Come along for a fun evening of quiz questions, friendly competition, and prizes. Bring your friends and enjoy a relaxed, social night.
Cost: £10 per person. Book your ticket here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-GB/ticketing/quiz-night-27
Teams: Up to 4 people per team
Doors Open: 6:30pm
Bar Open: 7:00pm
Quiz Starts: 7:30pm
Last Orders: 10:00pm
There will also be a raffle with fantastic prizes! All money raised will go towards supporting CfD’s work.
If you don’t have a team, don’t worry — you can still join, and teams will be made on the night.
UPDATE: The event will finish before the England V Panama game so you will be able to return home in time for this, or join us in watching the game at a local pub in Westbury-on-Trym. A short walk away!
We look forward to seeing you there! Click here to download our poster.
Spotlight: Bristol Deaf 50+ Group
This shows just how cherished and important this group is to everyone who attends. The group meet weekly for bingo, socialising, and various interesting information sessions, all helped by funding from The Quartet Foundation through 2025. The group talk about fond memories of the group in the video, and explain why they keep coming back (some have attended for over a decade!)
The group meets up on Wednesday afternoons 1-4pm at Unitarian Meeting Hall, St Pauls, BS2 8PE
If you or anyone you know would like to join the 50+ group, please get in touch with us and we will share more information.
Check out the video below from the group members:
Living with Hearing Loss Event
Living With Hearing Loss: A Warm, Welcoming and Inspiring Community Event
On 2 December, we hosted our Living With Hearing Loss (LWHL) event — an afternoon designed for anyone experiencing hearing loss, whether newly diagnosed, adjusting to changes, or looking for ways to stay connected in daily life. The event also welcomed family members, friends and colleagues wanting to better understand how to communicate and support the people they care about.
Our aim was simple:
‘To bring people together, share practical tools, offer expert advice, and create a supportive space where no one feels alone in their hearing loss journey.’
We were delighted to welcome over 40 people, many of whom had never engaged with CfD before. Reaching so many new people shows just how vital this kind of accessible, community-focused support is.
A Warm, Informative and Inclusive Event
The afternoon included:
- A welcome and introduction
- An engaging Audiology presentation by Simon Collins
- Three interactive workshops: Lipreading, Better Conversations, and BSL Taster Sessions
- A bustling Assistive Technology demonstration space
- Opportunities for 1–1 conversations, peer support and connection
From the start, attendees told us they felt welcomed, included and reassured:
“The event was very friendly and interesting… It was enjoyable meeting so many people with different experiences and outlooks on their deafness or hearing loss.”
Highlights From the Day
Audiology With Simon Collins (Senior Audiologist at UHBW NHS Foundation Trust)
Simon’s session was one of the most appreciated parts of the day, with attendees describing his talk as clear, informative and easy to follow:
“I could hear enough from the excellent loudspeaker.”
A small technical challenge with the loop system was resolved quickly— a great example of accessibility being a shared priority in the room.
Hearing Support with Hattie (HISS) The Hearing Impaired Support Scheme
Hattie’s Hearing Checks and hearing aid servicing offer was the first part of the event to be completely booked out, and she remained busy throughout the afternoon. Attendees valued the chance to receive tailored support about hearing equipment and next steps, and her presence added an important practical dimension to the day, and reflected just how needed this type of accessible support is.
Workshops That Resonate
All three workshops were incredibly well attended. People appreciated the practical tools they could take away immediately — from communication strategies to early lipreading techniques.
“I loved the taster sessions and none of them felt overwhelming.”
One of the most meaningful moments came from CfD’s own Jo and Samuel Jones, mother and son, who shared their lived experience of hearing loss within a family.
Their honest and heartfelt conversation helped people understand the wider emotional and relational impact of hearing loss:
“Jo’s analogy about hearing aids not working like glasses was exactly what I needed.”
The audience valued their openness and the space it created to reflect on their own journeys.
Assistive Technology Hub
Our CfD Tech team — Jason, Mark and Steve — were kept busy throughout the afternoon demonstrating devices, answering questions and helping people better understand what support exists for both Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals.
One attendee described the experience beautifully:
“As someone who is so new to hearing loss, it restored my hope that I will not be isolated, lonely or depressed.”
❤️ Thank You
There was a genuine buzz throughout the afternoon— a feeling of community, connection and ease that people with hearing loss don’t always experience at public events. Seeing people genuinely enjoy the space together was one of the most powerful successes of the afternoon. Thank you to everyone who attended, contributed, volunteered, presented or shared their story.
This was more than a workshop programme — it was a community coming together, learning from one another, and creating space for understanding, empowerment and connection. We’re excited to build on the success of this first Living With Hearing Loss event and look forward to offering more opportunities in 2026.
If you’d like to stay informed about future events, groups and workshops, please get in touch or join our mailing list.
Be a Side by Side volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Society
The Alzheimer’s Society are looking for BSL volunteers to visit an individual who is Deaf and living with a diagnosis of dementia in the Bedminster area of Bristol.
If you are interested or know someone else that may be interested, please apply here.
Alternatively you can email sophia.simlat@alzheimers.org.uk if you have any queries, or via InterpretersLive!
Select:
Company – Devon Partnership NHS trust
then
Department – Bristol Dementia Wellbeing Service – role manager support (Sophia)
OR
Department – Bristol Dementia Wellbeing Service – Application support (volunteering team)
For a BSL translation of the role of a side by side volunteer please see the video below.
CfD on BBC Points West
Our work to deliver deaf awareness sessions to healthcare students at Bristol UWE has featured on BBC Points West.
Click here to read more