Matt O’Riley helps children learn sign language
Albion midfielder Matt O’Riley visited a Brighton primary school to join in with a lesson teaching Year 5 pupils about sign language.
Matt surprised children at Fairlight Primary School in Brighton by helping them to learn some common words and phrases in British Sign Language (BSL).
The lesson was delivered by BHAFC Foundation tutors Will and Hayley, who both know BSL.
It was organised as part of Deaf Awareness Week – a campaign to support people who are deaf and have hearing impairments, and to raise awareness of how we can better include them.
Matt got involved with the lesson, helping to demonstrate some signs and learning some new ones himself.
An official ambassador of the BHAFC Foundation, Matt was recently honoured with a PFA Community Champion award for his work with young people over the past season.
The pupils at Fairlight are very familiar with Foundation tutors and coaches; the school benefits from the Premier League Primary Stars programme, PE lessons, after-school clubs, and more delivered by Foundation staff.
Lynsey Hermann, Head of Community Programmes at the Foundation, said: “Having Matt come down to this lesson made it extra special for the pupils involved.
“We could see how excited they all were to meet him, and it made the lesson into a moment they’ll always remember.
“BSL is always a really useful skill to have and one that we like to promote as much as possible, and in particular it’s important that we promote it during Deaf Awareness Week.”
Find out more about how the Foundation supports local primary schools.
