Deaf Embassy dream

This is the vision for an ‘embassy’ to the world’s deaf community being planned by a Preston charity reports the Lancashire Evening Post (24/04/12).

Deafway is proposing to build the centre at its base on Brockholes Brow in Fishwick which it believes will attract members of the deaf community from across the world.

It will house art galleries and a theatre to show the work of deaf people and provide facilities for people attending courses at the centre. Chief executive David Hynes said the striking design of the proposed building was “a statement of intent” by the charity.

He said: “If you look at any other group in the world which has its own language and its own culture, it has a country it is based in and within other countries there are embassies to promote that culture and language.

“The deaf community globally has as rich a culture and language as any other community and yet it has nowhere to positively promote that, it needs an embassy as a place to do that. What we are planning here is a building which deaf people from across the world will come to and be proud of to celebrate their culture.”

Plans, drawn up by Fulwood-based architects MCK Associates, will be submitted as a formal planning application to Preston Council in the coming weeks.

The charity has appointed Philippa Merricks as an ‘animateur’ for the project to develop projects to promote deaf culture from the centre. It is hosting a number of events at the centre.

Deafway will hold a public exhibition at Brockholes Brow between 1pm and 6pm next Thursday.