Deaf children and their hearing friends in Swindon spent a day taking part in informative workshops about all aspects of deafness last week.

The Roadshow, an eight-ton purple bus which turns into a high-tech classroom, visited pupils at Redoaks Primary School, delivering support, advice and information to some of the 254 deaf children who live in Wiltshire.

The Roadshow team spent the day delivering workshops to deaf children, hearing friends, teachers and parents.

Mark Gill, Outreach Officer on the Roadshow, who is deaf himself and drives the Roadshow bus, said: “Around 78 per cent of deaf children in the UK go to mainstream schools where they may be the only deaf child.

"As the Roadshow travels across the UK we work to empower young deaf children and raise awareness of deafness among their hearing peers. I see our impact when hearing the positive feedback from children and their parents.”

One of the workshops, Look, Smile, Chat, provided advice and tips on how to communicate with a deaf child.

It included getting their attention with a wave, or a tap on the shoulder, speaking one at a time and facing them when speaking.

It also advised people not to cover their mouth, be visual – and not be afraid to use gestures or actions – and never giving up and saying “I’ll tell you later”.

Another workshop promoted mental health and emotional wellbeing support for deaf children.

Through creative and fun activities deaf children learnt what good emotional health is and how best to ensure both their bodies and minds remain healthy. This included identifying strategies to help manage their own mental health.

The National Deaf Children’s Society also showcased the latest technology and equipment available to deaf children to accompany the key skills learnt on the day. This ranged from flashing doorbells and vibrating alarm clocks, to Bluetooth neckloops which can make it easier to listen to an iPod or a mobile phone.