This news item is provided by Phil Sewell one of our esteemed members in the club. Phil has been working with deaf communities across Wales in the last few months. He tells us how he introduced deaf people to the art of climbing:

I first came into contact with Deaf people who used sign language, in my early teens and quickly learned the basics. Years later I went on to complete a degree in Deaf studies and language and linguistics, which expanded what I already knew about Deaf culture and awareness. As a passionate climber I came up with an initiative to promote equality within climbing and mountain activities and breakdown the barriers of communication and prejudice so that Deaf people don’t just view it as something only ‘hearing’ people get involved in. What came out of this idea was Hands On Climbing. Although still going through the baby steps of establishing myself, I have experienced great joy and satisfaction introducing the world of climbing and mountain trekking to those who most likely wouldn’t have done it otherwise and hope to build on this by reaching out to the Deaf community providing a range of services, including a mentorship scheme. If I can make just a small difference to those Deaf people I come into contact with by sparking some kind of interest or becoming more fit and healthy, then it’s all worth it.