Opening worship to everyone

Sarah Northing, leader of Glory Group: Meeting the spiritual needs of adults with learning disabilities. Glory Group is a monthly accessible church service. We have two Makaton signers, myself and Dawn.

“Church is meant to be a place where everyone can belong. Yet for many people with learning disabilities, communication differences, or limited speech, traditional church services can be difficult to access. One simple but powerful way to address this challenge is by using Makaton, which can transform worship into a more inclusive and welcoming experience for all.

Importantly, using Makaton does not only benefit those who rely on it for communication. I have seen that signing helps everyone engage more deeply with the message. Visual and physical expression can reinforce understanding, especially for people who are new to church and unfamiliar with Christian vocabulary.

Introducing Makaton does not need to be complicated. I’d recommend starting by signing key words during worship songs, which allows people who struggle with spoken language to join in more fully. It also encourages the whole congregation to engage physically and visually with the words they are singing. I found that once a few simple signs were introduced, the message became clearer and more accessible. Over time, our group has built a small, shared vocabulary of signs that have become a natural part of our worship life.

As confidence has grown, the group now participate more actively rather than feeling like observers. This involvement has built self-belief, with people joining in and successfully using signs in front of others. Makaton has helped our group members feel valued, capable, and self-assured.

Want to take it further? In addition to being Makaton Level 4 qualified, Dawn and I completed Know and Grow training, which offers a comprehensive introduction to Makaton, tailored specifically for use within the Christian church setting.

In a world where many people feel excluded or overlooked, small changes can have a profound effect. By using Makaton, we can open the door wider—ensuring that worship is not just something people attend, but something everyone can truly share in.

Perhaps the most important impact of Makaton in our group is the message it sends: everyone is valued, and everyone’s participation matters. When churches take steps to make communication accessible, they reflect the inclusive love at the heart of the Christian message.”

Published

20th March 2026

We are always delighted to highlight organisations who are finding thoughtful and creative ways to make their spaces more welcoming and inclusive. This month, we’re pleased to share the story of Dagmar Flock — a wonderfully unique Makaton Place. Travelling to shows and country fairs with their sheep and chickens, they use Makaton to help every family feel confident, included, and able to enjoy the experience together.

Our journey to becoming Makaton Aware

We decided to become Makaton Aware after a year of attending shows and country fairs, where we welcome families to come over, meet the sheep, and ask us questions. We started to notice that not all children felt able to ask their own questions in the same way as others.

Throughout the day, many parents shared that their children had difficulties with communication.

We wanted meeting the sheep to be memorable for those families too! Animals naturally have a calming, therapeutic effect, and we believe strongly that every child should be able to enjoy that. After creating a free Makaton Account in 2023, we received an email inviting us to think about becoming Makaton Aware. With the help of a close family member, and after buying a few Makaton books, we decided it was something worth investing in so we could better support the families we meet.

How we use Makaton in our work

At every show, we display our Makaton Aware certificate and our Makaton Aware ‘Ask for Help’ poster with Makaton Symbols. We find this helps families feel more comfortable about coming over with their children.

We started by learning basic Makaton signs and then moved on to animal signs and others we can use during the shows. Alongside learning to sign, we added Makaton symbols to all our sheep and chicken signs. Every member of our team wears a Makaton badge and a lanyard with Makaton flash cards. We have also added a small sensory table with feathers, wool and a sheep horn for children to touch and explore if they wish.

“It's so important in everyone's life to feel understood and included. Being Makaton Aware really helps not only us to understand and communicate with others, but it helps so many families feel less alone and feel comfortable navigating the world. That little extra understanding and time while using Makaton really does help make a big difference in everyone's lives.”
Lydia, Dagmar Flock Team Member

A memorable moment

We've met many families who have told us how much it means that we take the time to use Makaton and interact with their children. One moment that really stayed with us happened earlier this year. A family came over and their child ran towards the sheep, vocalising excitedly.

The parents immediately apologised and signed Quiet, worried about the noise.

We reassured them that it was no problem — the sheep didn't mind one bit. We started using a couple of sheep and animal signs, and their child joined in. Within five minutes, they were laughing, smiling and stroking the sheep. The parents thanked us more times than we could count and returned several times that day to enjoy both the sheep and our sensory table.

Moments like these are exactly why we chose to become Makaton Aware.

Since becoming Makaton Aware, we've noticed more families feeling confident enough to come and say hello. Displaying our certificate lets parents and children know straight away that we understand and are happy to take the extra time. Using Makaton signs helps families be included, reassured and able to enjoy the day without stress.

Building an inclusive future

We would highly recommend becoming a Makaton Place to other organisations. Being Makaton Aware doesn’t just help our understanding — it helps families feel comfortable and included in everyday things. Some families can struggle when a child has difficulties, and days out can be stressful. Being Makaton Aware allows you to offer reassurance, comfort and support, helping families feel seen, understood and included.

Looking ahead, we hope to do more school visits alongside our shows. Many infant and junior schools learn about animals in spring, but children with additional needs can sometimes be excluded from off-site trips due to staffing. We would like to bring our animals into school grounds instead, so every child can meet them and interact at their own pace, including using Makaton with those who might need additional support. 

Instagram: @dagmar_flock_ | Facebook: Dagmar Flock of Castlemilk Moorit

At The Makaton Charity, we are so pleased to see the difference Makaton is making for Dagmar Flock and the families they meet at shows and events across the year. Their commitment to inclusion shows exactly what Makaton is about — helping everyone feel confident, understood, and welcome to join in. If you’d like to explore becoming a Makaton Place, find out more here: makaton.org/MakatonPlaces

Published

17th December 2025

Signed with Makaton

World Nursery Rhyme Week (10th – 14th November 2025) was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the role that nursery rhymes, and Makaton, play in early communication and connection. For the sixth year running, the official Makaton-signed songs were created by Makaton Tutor Jen Ellison, whose enthusiasm and coordination bring this project to life each year alongside a brilliant team of volunteers.

Jen tells us all about this brilliant project:

I am really excited that for the sixth consecutive year we have the Makaton-signed songs for World Nursery Rhyme Week (WNRW)!

WNRW is a week celebrating the importance of nursery rhymes. Nursery rhymes help with vocabulary and sound awareness. Using rhymes with actions supports motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Tuning in to the rhythm is great for attention, listening, and understanding sentence structure. Sharing a nursery rhyme with others is wonderful for bonding too!

Each year, I lead and coordinate the Makaton-signed songs for WNRW. My focus is predominantly on working with Children's Activity Providers, and you can find me at ABC Makaton Training. I'm a specialist Speech and Language Therapist, and I'm passionate about promoting nursery rhymes to support communication and connection.

Every year, I invite volunteers from my pool of Makaton Tutors to help promote inclusion and improve the accessibility of WNRW for children and families through the addition of visual Makaton Signs and Symbols.

I work closely with the amazing team at Piccolo Music, who create original children's music as well as thoughtful adaptations of classic nursery rhymes. The songs and activities spark imagination and learning through play, and they're a joy to sign along with!

The five official nursery rhymes for 2025 were:

• Sing a Song of Sixpence
• Humpty Dumpty
• When I Was One
• I Hear Thunder
• Two Little Dickie Birds

The signed songs are available on Piccolo Music's YouTube playlist, along with favourites from previous years enjoyed by thousands of schools and families around the world.

A huge thank-you to Jen and the wonderful Makaton Tutors who contribute to this project each year. Your creativity and commitment help make nursery rhymes even more inclusive, playful, and joyful for children and families.

We hope you enjoyed watching, singing, and signing along! If you're a Makaton Tutor who'd like to be involved next year, Jen would love to hear from you:

• [email protected]
• @ABCMakatontraining

Published

21st November 2025

Celebrating inclusion through storytelling

At The Makaton Charity, we love to shine a light on organisations who go the extra mile to make their spaces inclusive, welcoming, and accessible. That's why we're thrilled to share the story of Story Craft Theatre, the first theatre company in York to become Makaton Friendly. Read on to hear directly from co-founder Janet Cosgriff about their inspiring journey...

Hello! I’m Janet-Emily Cosgriff, and together with my wonderful friend and fellow actor Cassie Vallance, I co-founded Story Craft Theatre back in 2018. We’re based in York and are passionate about creating joyful, interactive theatre and storytelling experiences for young children and their families. Our work blends our professional backgrounds in theatre with a real love for early years education.

In 2020, everything changed for me when my youngest child was born with Down syndrome. Very quickly, we were introduced to Makaton and discovered that it not only supported my child’s communication, but also their confidence, emotional wellbeing, and relationships with others.

I was fortunate to meet Emma Thompson, a local Makaton Tutor at Handmade Voices, and took part in her Level 1 training. The impact was immediate. Makaton gave my child a voice and reduced frustration. For me, it was a true lightbulb moment - not just as a parent, but as a theatre-maker. I suddenly saw how powerful Makaton could be, not only in our family life but in our creative work too.

Cassie and I were both inspired to continue our Makaton learning with Emma, weaving signs into our stories and performances. Over time, it became a natural, joyful part of what we do. Whether we’re in small storytelling sessions or on stage in bigger productions, Makaton is a part of us —making sure everyone feels welcome, seen, and included.

Today, we tour our Makaton-supported shows across the country, with recent performances at venues like York Theatre Royal, Burnley Mechanics, and Chichester Festival Theatre. We also launched “Makaton Mondays” on Instagram, where we share a new sign each week to help our audiences keep learning and signing together at home. It's playful, it’s practical and we hope it brings a little bit of Makaton magic into people’s weeks.

We’re incredibly proud to be the first theatre company in York to become officially Makaton Friendly. For us, it’s about more than a badge; it’s a reflection of our belief that every child deserves to be able to express themselves, to understand, and to feel included.

We are really proud to work alongside organisations like Story Craft Theatre that are making a difference in their communities every day. Their story is a wonderful reminder that inclusion starts with communication—and that with just a few signs and symbols, we can all help others feel seen and heard.

Could your organisation be next?

Join our growing community of Makaton Aware and Makaton Friendly organisations. Visit our Makaton Places webpage to find out how you can make your setting more inclusive and accessible for all.

Published

16th Sptember 2025

Bringing Makaton to the Millennium Forum

At The Makaton Charity, we’re always inspired by the powerful stories of families who use Makaton to break down barriers and build connection in their communities. This is the story of Ana and her daughter María – a journey of joy, challenge, and advocacy that helped make their local theatre a more inclusive space for everyone!

Hello, my name is Ana and I live in Derry. I’ve been a Makaton Tutor since 2021. One of my aims in becoming a Tutor was to deliver training in mainstream education, and my other goal was to bring Makaton into the heart of my local community—so that people who experience communication difficulties every day can feel included, understood, and heard.

I love going to the theatre, and I’ve always made a point of taking my daughter María to live performances whenever possible. María has a rare chromosome disorder—she’s the only one in the world with this specific diagnosis—as well as complex medical needs and communication difficulties. She is non/pre-verbal and uses a Total Communication approach to express herself. She understands English, Spanish, and Makaton.

We started going to the Millennium Forum, our local theatre, as soon as María was well enough after surgery and there was no risk to her health. I used to take her to the Wednesday matinees. In those early days, a trip to the theatre was like packing for a weekend away: seven changes of clothes, a portable step so she could rest her feet on the toilet, containers of specially prepared food... But the moment we arrived, it was all worth it. The music, the lights, the acting, the singing—it was pure joy. And the look on María’s face, the laughter and giggles, made every bit of effort worthwhile.

I couldn’t help noticing, though, that María was often the only child with additional needs in the audience. And I understood why: a theatre visit can feel overwhelming and exhausting when your child has complex needs.

Everything changed in 2013, when Derry-Londonderry became the first ever UK City of Culture. The city came alive! Local talent was everywhere, and thanks to María’s ability to charm her way to the front of any queue, we often had the best seats in the house! More importantly, we got to see first-hand how kind and understanding people can be. María made people laugh, sparked conversations, and seemed to bring strangers together. Disabled people weren’t just present - they were visible, included, and celebrated as part of the wider community.

As part of the City of Culture programme, the Millennium Forum introduced its first ever Relaxed Performance of the Panto. We love Panto in Derry! María was 12 at the time, and her little brother Raúl was 3. The theatre invited parents and carers to preview the show and share our ideas on what a relaxed performance should look like. They adjusted the lighting and sound, shortened a few scenes, and offered seat adaptors so that everyone could feel comfortable. Before the show, we received an email with photos explaining what to expect.

It was bliss. I bumped into other parents and carers—we chatted, we understood each other, and no one blinked an eye when our children did what they do: sat, ran, clapped, sang, danced, got restless, needed to leave and come back. We all just got it. It was the best feeling in the world—our children were enjoying Panto like everyone else, and as parents, we got to just be parents at the theatre.

That first relaxed performance was such a positive experience that it’s become a regular fixture in the Millennium Forum’s programme ever since. When I qualified as a Makaton Tutor, I reached out to the team—and they welcomed Makaton with open arms. The Millennium Forum is now proudly Makaton Friendly, and I’m honoured to support them as their Tutor.

Since then, they’ve gone above and beyond. In 2023, the cast and theatre staff performed “Jingle Bells” using Makaton. In 2024, it was “Sweet Caroline,” and in 2025, “Working 9 to 5”! During the relaxed performances, I volunteer to support one of María’s friends—our very own “Makaton Master” Eve McIvor—and I’ve even ended up on stage signing in front of the audience!

María now lives in a residential setting, but going to the Panto is still a key date in her calendar. It’s a time to reconnect with friends and feel part of the Derry community. In 2021, it was especially emotional—it was the first time María had seen her friends since moving in 2019. The staff at the Millennium Forum are always kind, respectful, and non-judgemental. On one occasion, María came home to see Hairspray. It wasn’t a relaxed performance, and I was nervous—would she be too loud? Would we bother other audience members? But the staff reassured me. “We’re an inclusive theatre,” they said, “We take María just as she is—and her mother too!”

Ana and María’s story is a wonderful reminder of how much inclusion matters – not just in education or care, but in everyday experiences like a trip to the theatre. Their journey helped shape a more welcoming space for families in Derry, and their continued involvement has inspired others to follow their lead.

Do you know a venue, group or organisation in your community that goes above and beyond to support communication and inclusion? You can encourage them to become Makaton Friendly too! Find out more about the Makaton Friendly scheme and how to get involved.

Published

8th July 2025

Outdoor Play & Learning with Mak the Bear

Hello friends! It’s me, Mak!

Springtime Stroll

The sun was shining, so my friends and I went for a walk to spot flowers and see what wildlife we could find. We saw tall daffodils, tiny buds, and even a butterfly! Poppy signed big and tiny, and I gave her a big high five!

You can take me with you on your walks too! Try:

• Counting flowers or trees – one, two, three…
• Spotting colours and signing them
• Looking for birds or bugs and signing what you see
• Stopping for a snack and using signs like eat, drink, share, or more

Playground Fun

I had the best time at the park! We swung, slid and climbed. We had to take turns on the slide – it was super fast! When one of my friends felt a bit scared, I waited at the end with a cuddle to help him feel better.

 

I’d love to come to the park with you too! Together, we can:

• Count before you swing: 1, 2, 3… go!
• Use signs like up, down, run, stop
• Play hide and seek – hide me and use where? to find me!
• Make daisy chains or blow bubbles – can you sign bubble or flower?

By the Water

We went for a walk by the canal to feed the ducks — and Leo remembered the sign for duck! We also counted boats and saw some cute baby chicks.

If you head to a canal, pond or river, I’d love to come too! We can:

• Sign duck every time one swims by
• Count the boats and talk about big and small ones
• Spot wildlife and practise signs like bird and fish

(And always stay safe by the water with your grown-up!)

14th April 2025

Embracing Makaton to build an inclusive community

We’re excited to welcome Brierley Hill Library, part of Dudley Libraries, to the Makaton Aware initiative. Powered by GLL, a charitable social enterprise, Brierley Hill Library is committed to offering accessible services, free activities, and a welcoming and inclusive space for all.

Here Senior Library Assistant, Emma Dudley, tells us about how they have embraced Makaton to build an inclusive environment for their community.

“Libraries are important community spaces, and it’s essential that everyone feels welcome.”

At Brierley Hill Library, our mission goes beyond lending books; we aim to improve physical, mental, and social wellbeing across the community. By becoming a Makaton Aware venue, we’re taking another step towards breaking down communication barriers and ensuring that every visitor feels valued and included.

As Senior Library Assistant here at Brierley Hill, my journey with Makaton began during the Covid 19 lockdown. While offering online story sessions, I realised how important it was for everyone to be able to join in, regardless of their communication needs. My manager supported me to undertake Makaton training, and soon, I had completed Makaton signing Levels 1–4 and earned my Makaton Training License for MSFB.

Since then, some of our other staff members have also completed their Makaton Level 1 training, and we've integrated Makaton into our regular activities. From “Storytimes” to "Rattle and Rhyme" sessions, it's wonderful to see everyone participating and enjoying the experience of having a book read to them. We also offer Makaton-friendly class visits, making sure everyone enjoys their time at the library. The benefits we've seen are clear, which is why we've started using Makaton at our outreach events as well.

Becoming Makaton Aware

Not every member of our staff has completed Makaton training, but as a Makaton Aware venue, we are all dedicated to promoting accessibility, inclusion, and meaningful communication. We embrace the key Makaton Aware principles, which are:

• Embracing Understanding and Patience
• Allowing Time and Space for Communication
• Fostering Inclusivity
• Providing Staff Support
• Using Clear Signage

We have worked hard to ensure these guiding principles have been incorporated into the way we work as a team. We’ve made sure to display clear signage and symbols around the library, and we’re developing a Makaton map to help guide visitors. Additionally, we’ve created quieter areas with comfortable seating, and we’ve stocked our shelves with books that feature Makaton signs and symbols. We even use Makaton resources in our seasonal displays, like Pride Month and Halloween, to make them more accessible and engaging for everyone.

Positive changes in our community

The response from our visitors has been overwhelmingly positive. Using Makaton has allowed us to host class visits for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) groups. We’re also in discussions with SEND coordinators from across the borough about how we can continue to improve our services for these groups.

Our outreach events have been a particular success. It’s been wonderful to see people of all ages using Makaton signs as we lead rhymes and read stories. These sessions are growing in popularity, bringing more people into the library and fostering a real sense of community. The social aspect of our Makaton activities is as important as the communication itself—people are connecting, engaging, and having fun.

Looking ahead

Becoming Makaton Aware is just the beginning of our journey! More of our staff are starting their Makaton training, and we’re excited about the future. Our management team has been incredibly supportive, and together we’re committed to building a more inclusive and accessible space for everyone who visits Brierley Hill Library.

Through Makaton, we’ve learned that communication is not just about words—it’s about connection, understanding, and ensuring everyone has a voice. We’re proud to be part of the Makaton Places initiative and hope to inspire other businesses and community spaces to consider how small changes can make a big difference.

Click here to learn more about Makaton Aware

Published

27th September 2024

Learning Makaton to make moving easier for everyone

We were really excited to hear that John Mason International Movers had taken a significant step towards making their services more inclusive by learning Makaton.

Below, the team at John Mason International Movers shares their experience and the positive impact Makaton has had on their work.

At John Mason International Movers we’ve always believed that moving should be a positive experience for everyone. However, we realised that for some of our customers, especially those with communication difficulties, the process could feel a bit overwhelming. That’s why we decided to learn Makaton.

Our first steps with Makaton

Our journey with Makaton started when we began thinking about how we could better support all of our customers. We knew that moving can be a stressful time, and we wanted to do everything we could to make it easier for those who might find it hard to express their needs. Learning Makaton seemed like a natural step for us.

Our team members, from front-line staff to our dedicated Move Managers, embraced this opportunity with enthusiasm. They recognised that by learning Makaton, they could break down barriers and provide a more personalised service.

The training was both challenging and rewarding. We learned to use simple signs and symbols alongside speech, which helps people who might struggle with verbal communication. It wasn’t just about learning a new skill; it was about understanding and connecting with our customers in a more meaningful way.

What we’ve learned

One of the things that stood out during our training was how much it changed the way we approach our work. For example, when we met a family who used Makaton, we were able to communicate with their child in a way that made them feel comfortable and included. Seeing the relief and happiness on their faces was incredibly rewarding for us.

It’s these small moments that have made us realise the true value of learning Makaton. It’s not just about making our job easier—it’s about making our customers feel at ease during a time that can be quite stressful.

The impact

The impact of our Makaton training has been profound. Not only has it enhanced our ability to communicate with customers who use Makaton, but it has also fostered a greater sense of empathy and awareness among our team. We've received positive feedback from customers who appreciate the effort we've made to accommodate their needs, and our staff feels more confident in their ability to provide inclusive, compassionate service.

Moving forward together

We’re proud of the progress we’ve made, but we know there’s always more to learn. We’re committed to continuing our journey with Makaton and finding new ways to make our services as accessible as possible.

We’ve learned that communication is about much more than just words—it’s about connection, understanding, and making sure everyone feels heard. By sharing our experience, we hope to encourage others in our industry to think about how they can make their own services more inclusive.

Published

24th September 2024

Our journey to inclusivity

We are delighted that Haworth Art Gallery and Museum has recently become Makaton Aware, a brilliant milestone in their commitment to creating an inclusive environment for all their visitors.

Here, Samantha De Simone, Senior Visitor Assistant, tells us about the steps they’ve taken to ensure that everyone, regardless of their communication needs, can fully engage with the museum’s offerings.

I originally come from Italy, where I have family members who often find it challenging to visit museums due to a lack of inclusive provisions. This personal experience fuels my passion for making Haworth Museum accessible to everyone. While many museums claim to be “fully accessible,” this often refers only to physical mobility. However, accessibility encompasses a much broader spectrum, and here at Haworth we are committed to addressing all aspects of it. Thanks to funding from Pennine Lancashire Museums and Schools, we’ve been able to become Makaton Aware and gain access to incredible resources—both digital and physical—that will support our journey towards being a truly inclusive museum.

In 2023, our small visitor team participated in training focused on various aspects of front-of-house operations in a museum. For those unfamiliar, "front of house" refers to any public-facing area within the museum, from the reception and shop to the overall visitor experience. This training was an eye-opener, helping us identify areas for improvement and explore how our team, of fewer than ten staff and volunteers, could make meaningful changes.

We’ve already made significant strides in enhancing accessibility within our museum. We created a family room equipped with sensory baskets and activities, and at reception, we offer bags filled with tools to explore the museum, along with engaging trails. Each exhibition room is furnished with seating, easels, and paper for mindful drawing. Additionally, we’ve signed up for schemes such as the Safe Space Alliance and the Breastfeeding Friendly scheme, ensuring that our museum is a welcoming environment for all.

Our recent focus has been on making sure our museum is accessible to children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), particularly in terms of communication. Among the many communication methods used by SEND families is Makaton, a communication programme that uses speech, signs and symbols to support communication.

To begin our journey with Makaton, we involved our staff in creating short videos for our social media channels, featuring them signing themes related to the museum. We covered various aspects, including our shop, children's activities, weddings, and our family room. This initiative was our way of showing the community our commitment to learning and improving accessibility. The response from the public has been overwhelmingly positive, and our staff have been enthusiastic about getting involved.

Following this, we introduced a Summer Trail for children, featuring double-sided clues—with drawings on one side and Makaton signs on the other. These small steps reflect the dedication of our team and made a significant impact for our visitors.

Looking ahead, we plan to integrate Makaton further into various aspects of the museum, including our school visits, where we hope to offer it as an option for schools.

This transformation won’t happen overnight, but we are committed to empowering our entire team to feel comfortable with Makaton. We will continue to demonstrate our commitment, willingness to learn, and desire to improve our visitors' experiences. The more we learn about accessibility, the more we realize there is still so much to do, but we are wholeheartedly committed to this journey.

Click here to learn more about Makaton Aware

Published

24th September 2024

Breaking Down Barriers with Makaton

Morgan's Butchery, a family-run business on the Cambridgeshire, Essex, and Suffolk border, has recently taken steps to ensure that inclusivity is at the heart of their business.

The Nicholas family, who took over the butchery in April 2023, have made it their mission to create a welcoming environment for all customers, regardless of their communication needs. Below, they share their journey and the impact of becoming Makaton Aware on both their business and the local community.

“At Morgan's Butchery, inclusivity has always been a core focus for us. Master Butcher Miles Nicholas, who has multiple disabilities following a stroke, knows firsthand the challenges of living with a communication disability. One of the biggest difficulties he faces is his speech and language disability, which has made even everyday tasks, like ordering a coffee, a stressful experience.

Becoming Makaton Aware

It was clear to us that we wanted to make shopping at Morgan's Butchery a pleasant and accessible experience for everyone. One of the first steps we took was to implement simple yet impactful changes, such as offering braille and large print price lists. These adjustments have already made a huge difference for many of our customers, and becoming Makaton Aware felt like the perfect next step on our journey.

We now have Makaton symbols available throughout the store, and all of our staff are confident at using Makaton signs too. Being Makaton Aware allows us to better serve customers with communication difficulties, helping them feel more comfortable and confident when they shop with us.

Leading by Example

As well as being the director of Morgan's Butchery, I also have extensive experience in supporting children and young adults with disabilities. This has motivated me to drive these changes at Morgan's Butchery, and we are excited to continue building an environment that welcomes and supports all members of our community.

We hope that other larger businesses will follow suit and begin implementing these simple but powerful solutions in their own stores. It doesn’t take much to make a significant impact on the lives of people living with disabilities—small changes can break down big barriers.

By making these adjustments, we hope to inspire other businesses to consider how they can make their services more inclusive. It’s not just about following a trend—it’s about making sure that everyone, regardless of their abilities, feels valued and included.”

Click here to learn more about Makaton Aware

Published

4th September 2024

We're pleased to introduce you to one of the first organisations to become Makaton Aware, Collar & Cuffs Co.

Founded in 2016, Collar & Cuffs Co is a multi-award-winning company renowned for creating sensory trails, tours, theatre, and resources. Their mission? To widen access, participation, and inclusion in heritage, culture, arts, nature, and horticulture for people of all ages with special educational needs and disabilities, including those with severe learning difficulties (SLD) and profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD).

Here's what Creative Director, and autistic parent of autistic twins, Julia told us:

“If you've ever been to one of our shows, sensory tours or a sensory storytelling session, then you'll know that we use Makaton every single time, no matter who we're working with.

We use Makaton whether our audience communicates using signs or not. For our youngest participants, signing helps support visual attention and it helps to normalise signing as part of communication. Parents/Carers of children/young people without SEND find signing fascinating. Using it often leads to them wanting to know more, trying out signs for themselves, and having useful conversations with their kids about why signing matters.

For most of our SEND audience, Makaton is a key part of their communication needs, and it's as natural for us to sign as it is to use spoken, sensory, or any other type of inclusive and total communication.

As an autistic person, I have always been someone who uses my hands a lot when I talk, so signing offers me a way to give my hands purpose, control, and meaning. I have also signed with my children since they were born - one of my twins had a 60% hearing loss for nearly four years of his life, and signing became a way to support his language development. Our family still uses Makaton now as a means of communicating when anxiety levels are high, across crowded spaces, or when a bit of discretion is needed.

It is therefore a no-brainer that Collar & Cuffs Co has signed up to become Makaton Aware and will be proudly displaying the Makaton Aware certificate and window sticker.”

Thank you Collar & Cuffs Co for becoming Makaton Aware and helping us to build a community where everyone's voice is heard and understood! Together, we will continue to break down communication barriers and build a more inclusive world for all.

Click here for more information about how you can become Makaton Aware or get in touch on [email protected].

10th June 2024

We are thrilled to share an exciting addition to the Makaton Library, all thanks to Taylor, a passionate Makaton User. 

Taylor approached us with a brilliant idea: creating Wheelchair Access Posters featuring Makaton symbols. Now, we are delighted to share that these essential resources are readily available for everyone to access!

Taylor told us: “I was exploring the Makaton website and I realised there weren’t many resources for wheelchair users, so I decided to create some. 

I had an idea and the charity’s Resource Team made them a reality. 

I have personal experience of needing space for my wheelchair which I use all of the time. Sometimes if there is no clear parking sign to say that the space needs to be big enough, I haven't been able to get out of my car because others have parked too close. I am excited this resource will help people to think more about the amount of space they leave. 

I designed these posters to raise awareness in the Makaton community of the needs of wheelchair users.”
 
Thank you Taylor for working with us to create this fantastic resource! 

You can find the four versions of Taylor’s Wheelchair Access poster on the Makaton Library by searching for ‘Wheelchair Access”. 

• Please remember to leave space for electric wheelchair access
• Please remember to leave 2 metres for electric wheelchair access
• Please remember to leave space for manual wheelchair access
• Please remember to leave 2 metres for manual wheelchair access

Author

Taylor

18 April 2024

Olaf is a three-year-old fox red Labrador therapist and a published author. He was invited to speak at the Cheltenham Literature Festival 2023. Olaf is a family pet registered with the Pets As Therapy (PAT) Charity. His job is to make people smile when, with his human mum (a specialist teacher and mindfulness coach), he visits hospitals and schools.

Every Thursday morning, Olaf goes to Battledown Special School. He enjoys his visits so much that he set his second book there! Team Olaf to the Rescue is a heartwarming story about his classroom adventures (it very cleverly rhymes!). With help from his merry band of canine mates, Olaf saves the school’s Christmas celebrations and gives the children a party they will never forget. All the dogs in Team Olaf are Olaf's real friends whom he sees every day on his walks. They all play a vital role in the story, showing kindness, creativity, and bravery. Fun activities are added to stimulate the reader's imagination and memory.

Battledown School uses Makaton as part of their teaching and learning, so we included their symbols in the book to enable more of Olaf’s human friends to enjoy it. We were delighted Makaton wanted to be involved in our project and are grateful to the Team for their expertise and patience. They provided symbols for the concepts/story words and explained where to place them on the page, so that the story makes sense to the Makaton reader.

Olaf's first book, Mr. Olaf the Therapist, is a mindfulness scrapbook, diarying his experiences in a mainstream school and his work in the NHS. As a PAT dog, Olaf visits Cheltenham General Hospital where he is a valued member of the Knightsbridge (Gastric) and Critical Care Teams. He has been doing this for over two years but is still banned from the staff rooms because of the doughnuts... It is a privilege and humbling to be welcomed so warmly by patients, their families, and Olaf’s NHS colleagues. Olaf also shares his lifestyle wisdom with self-care activities and mindfulness questions to help us reflect on our own work/life balance.

Olaf gives all the proceeds from his books to the Pets as Therapy charity. He attends promotional PAT events e.g., Crufts and Goodwuff.

For more information about PAT and/or to buy Olaf’s books, please visit Pets as Therapy.

Author

Rachel and Olaf Flower

20th November 2023

Belfast’s cross-community youth centre Ledley Hall Boys and Girls Club has become the first organisation in Northern Ireland to be accredited with the Makaton Friendly Silver award for outstanding commitment to communication inclusion training.

A special ceremony took place on Friday 17 February to mark the occasion. Guests included Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Michelle Kelly; the High Sheriff of Belfast, Councillor John Kyle; and Andy Allen MLA.

The Makaton Friendly Silver award is bestowed on organisations which have achieved a consistent set of criteria relating to staff training and Makaton accessibility in their public areas. Over a seven-year period Ledley Hall has completed Levels 1 - 4 of the Makaton training programme fulfilling the requirement to earn this prestigious Award.

Ledley Hall has worked with Makaton Tutor Grant Wetherall, of sign language training company SignSimply, to train leaders, parents, volunteers and boys and girls, many of whom have varying degrees of communication challenges.

Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Michelle Kelly said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Ledley Hall to be the first youth club in Northern Ireland to receive this tremendous award. It is truly a credit to East Belfast.”

Michelle Fullerton, Ledley Hall Youth Worker in Charge, said: “Over the last seven years we have made significant investment in our work to be actively inclusive, identifying the need to become trained in Makaton to ensure effective communication and inclusion for all our members. We are now in the fortunate position where all Ledley Hall staff, as well as some of our volunteers and parents, are trained to Level 4 in Makaton.”

Makaton Regional Tutor Grant Wetherall said: “Over the past seven years I have enjoyed working with Ledley Hall to realise their goal of making communication accessible for all. I am delighted that their dedication and hard work has now paid off and they can be recognised as an example to all NI organisations who seek equity of inclusion.”

Find out more about Makaton Friendly

Ledley Hall Boys and Girls Club
1st March 2023

Conwy Connect spent a busy few weeks really getting festive with Makaton!

Our Makaton choir consists of members with learning disabilities and their parents / carers. It was established 4 years ago and has gone from strength to strength. Our inspiration comes from the amazing Suzanne and Tracey, 'Singing Hands'.

The Choir was invited to perform at Conwy Culture Winter Sounds event, following which were then asked to perform at an all-inclusive church event for the Archbishop of Wales. The choir performed beautifully.

The Choir was started by Michele Pipe, and over the last few years over zoom and face to face we have watched communication develop and signs become clearer. We are so proud of them all!

Non L
9th January 2023

Ledley Hall Boys and Girls Club is a youth centre based in Inner East Belfast, operating in the community since 1942 we have very strong links and are in the privileged position of delivering youth services to young people aged 5-25 years. The young people choose to come to us and it is this voluntary participation at the heart of youth work practice which makes the interventions we make with our young people and the relationships that we have unique to those with other professionals.

Over the last seven years we have made significant investment in our work to be actively inclusive, identifying the need to become trained in Makaton to ensure effective communication and inclusion of all of our membership. We are now in the fortunate position where all of our staff are trained to level 4 in Makaton as well as some of our volunteer team and parents. We have regular refreshers with our Makaton tutor Grant to keep us up to date.

We have purchased the Makaton Vocabulary CD’s which allow us to produce signage etc for around the centre. We operate sign and symbol of the week which is headed up by our Makaton Champion, we also have signage around the centre in Makaton, our safeguarding materials are displayed in a Makaton and easy read format and our Youth Worker in Charge has completed the Makaton Safeguarding Workshop. We not only use Makaton as a way of communicating with and providing an inclusive environment for Makaton users but we have also used Makaton to help develop the communication of our junior members through the use of songs, rhymes and at one point we had a Makaton choir.

Our plans for the incoming year are to work both on our own inclusion projects but also to work with our Makaton Tutor Grant Wetherall to share our knowledge and experience of developing the use of Makaton within the youth centre to others that Grant has recently trained by hosting them at our centre and showcasing the work that we do.

Ledley Hall Boys and Girls Club
9th January 2023

From a crazy idea to a Queen’s Award

What if...

…I left my job as a safeguarding lead in the NHS, trained as a Makaton Tutor and set up a charity which combined my speech and language therapy training and creative skills to teach and raise awareness of inclusive communication. That was the thought stuck in my head while on maternity leave in 2016.

It was a daft idea, leaving the security of the NHS to work unpaid in a sector I knew nothing about. But the thought refused to go away; I had seen the lack of support for people with communication disabilities and the devastating impact that has on people’s lives:

• as a speech and language therapist working with adults with learning disabilities and autism
• as a safeguarding lead working with vulnerable adults with dementia, aphasia or other communication needs
• as a daughter and granddaughter when my Dad had a brain tumour and my Grandpa had a stroke

But was it sensible to leave a regular income and strike out into uncharted territory, especially with young children?

Of course it wasn’t. But if breaking my neck and back six years earlier has taught me anything, it is that life is for living - and I knew that I would regret it if I didn’t try.

Fast forward another six years, and Include.org is now a registered charity, based in Surrey, with a small staff team and over 50 volunteers working to provide community activities which promote Makaton signing and another inclusive communication skills. We raise awareness of communication needs in schools and businesses and provide training to help ensure that people with understanding and speaking difficulties get the support they need and deserve.

With the support of our volunteers, we run outdoor inclusive communication sessions, create easy read resources and devise training with our members. We now have not one, but two Include Choirs, which use Makaton signs, symbols, objects and more to make sure our members with communication needs are fully included and empowered.

Our volunteer team includes people with learning disabilities and autism who use or have used Makaton themselves - and without exception, we were all absolutely delighted to discover we’d been chosen to receive the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service this year.

The Queen’s Award is described as the MBE for volunteer groups and, due to the sad death of Queen Elizabeth II, we are one of very last UK charities to receive it, making it even more special. We look forward to proving ourselves worthy of this honour and reaching even more people with Makaton and inclusive communication in 2023.

If you would like to support include.org in our mission, any donation made between 29th November and 6th December via The Big Give Challenge Website will be doubled! Needed more than words alone can say (thebiggive.org.uk)

For more information about Include.org please email [email protected] or visit www.include.org

Author

Alix L

8th November 2022

At the age of 9, Honor Godfree has just achieved her Brownie Gold Award, the highest attainment in Brownies, and one of the interest badges that she completed for the Skills For My Future theme is her Languages badge. The badge has three tasks for the Brownie to complete: using four or more phrases to be understood; learning about where the language comes from, who uses it, etc.; share your skills.

Honor was very eager to use her Makaton knowledge in this badge, with a clear understanding that Makaton isn’t a language like BSL but rather a language programme with symbols, signs and spoken words. The phrases she chose to share for part 1 of the badge included “my name is Honor”, reminding me that she stopped her hand at the end of the non-dominant hand for H “otherwise it means clean”!

Honor started her Makaton journey when she was just three. After qualifying as a tutor, I had started a Makaton sing and sign group at her mother’s childminding business and Honor was among the first cohort of preschoolers who made funny frog faces, learned colours through the Gruffalo song, and animals through Room on the Broom. Since then, Home From Home has become a Makaton Friendly company, with Makaton embedded in its practice.

For the second part of the badge challenge, Honor talked about the use of symbols around the childminding area, including drawn by hand in large scale on toy storage boxes, to enable the little ones to make choices. She also loves watching how the babies and toddlers start to use their signs to communicate, often before spoken language.

For the past 4 years, Honor has attended a weekly Makaton choir with other children, both preschool and school-age, firstly at a local care home, then during covid on zoom, and now back as a fully intergenerational group in a retirement village. She supports younger children with their signing, and does a really good job of sharing the joys of Makaton with our new friends amongst the older adults.

For the “share your skills” part of the badge, she took the lead in performing We Don’t Talk About Bruno, encouraging all the other children to take part and reminding them of the words/signs as needed, for the village residents, none of whom had ever heard of Encanto, didn’t have a clue what the song was about (!), but who absolutely loved the performance.

Honor’s favourite signed song is You’ll Be In My Heart, and she particularly loves the video by Singing Hands at Great Ormond Street Hospital. As a 26-week preemie, Honor spent the first few months of her life in a children’s hospital and experienced a lot of hospital appointments as a toddler and an emergency operation when she was 5. Family friends from her NICU months have had a very different story and the magical mix of the words of You’ll Be In My Heart with the signing from everyone in the GOSH family, from parents, to consultants, to nurses, to porters, really exemplifies, for Honor, the power of Makaton to connect us all and build relationships through better communication.

Author
Linda B
3rd November 2022

Anna at Trusted Travel Buddies completed Makaton training in 2021, having launched the company in 2019. Anna decided to learn Makaton to better enhance the communication of the adults she supports on their chosen holidays.

I first heard about Makaton when I was supporting an adult with learning disabilities who uses Makaton as her preferred method of communication. Shelly was the driving force for me to learn Makaton to better enhance our communication.

In 2021 I completed Levels 1-4 of Makaton. I found the training enjoyable. Special Thanks must go to Hannah Williams Makaton who truly excels at her profession as a Makaton Tutor. Her passion and enthusiasm shines through making the training upbeat and fun.

Trusted Travel Buddies offers bespoke tailormade holidays to adults with additional support needs. Launched in Dec 2019, despite the Pandemic we are delighted to have supported 24 adults away on their chosen holidays. Now that restrictions are hopefully beginning to ease, we are looking forward to a busy summer in 2022 supporting adults with learning disabilities to really live their finest lives.

Trusted Travel Buddies is delighted to be the first business in the Highlands to have been awarded Makaton Friendly Status. Hip hip horray! I would highly recommend adults and businesses to explore the joy of learning Makaton so they can allow Makaton Users to feel welcomed, respected and valued.

Find out more about Becoming a Makaton Friendly Partner

Author

Anna M

25th April 2022

How important is Makaton as part of your family day out?

Claire, Brooklyn and Bella share their day at Alton Towers – March 2022

Planning a day out for the family can be very daunting at times even for families who don’t have to factor in a child with additional needs. Most families just take into account what will make everyone happy and if you have children of different ages this can be very difficult even at the best of times.

Thing I have to think about even before I've left the house include things like Parking. Will there be disabled bays? Even trying to navigate through a car park safely can be stressful, with bags, a disability pushchair, excited children to control. So parking as close as you can from moving vehicles just to keep your children safe is a big factor especially if they have no understanding of danger. Also trying to find a venue with plenty of accessible toilets can also be the deciding factor whether you go or not. There needs to be plenty of room, just the right lighting, changing facilities and appropriate hand dryers. The majority of places don't even think about this, but I can tell you from experience my daughter could be desperate for the toilet but if she hears the new powerful loud hand dryers before we've even stepped into it she cannot even enter the room. Her hands clasp over her ears like she's in pain and she cries. Then I have to think about food. What's available, hot/cold, whether we can eat inside or have to sit outside. Will it have loud music playing, will I be able to manoeuvre around the tables, will the queue be too long when ordering. I've had to walk out of many a place before today as so many triggers have caused a meltdown. So, with all this to plan in the trip all I have to do is find an inclusive venue to entertain ALL the family that ticks all the right boxes.

Well, I found it Alton Towers! Not only does it entertain from very young ages but through to emerging dare devil's and those crazy thrill seekers! I can finally relax here and go at our own pace, because it is that diverse you can pick and choose exactly what you want your day to look like and let's face it any parent/carer with children /adults with additional needs to be able to retreat at some point in the day. But what makes Alton Towers even more special is that the staff can communicate with my daughter. Something that I have never considered planning into the day before as nowhere else has offered this to us before! Unbelievable isn't it!

My daughter is a Makaton user and uses sign to communicate. Bella was born with Down Syndrome and has global development delay. People will ask me what's she saying? As they struggle to understand her. And I have to usually answer for her. So, to watch her have a conversation with the staff is amazing and well for Bella it's everything. You can see how happy she is. Alton Towers have just opened up doors and made a good day even better with the help from Makaton Tutor Amanda Glennon. With just a few basic signs they were able to ask her how she was, was she having a good day, did she like Peter Rabbit and sign back. I am so grateful to them for acknowledging and accepting we are all different and for them learning how to sign. You see it's not about my daughter fitting in society, its about society understanding we are all unique and educating yourself firstly so you can support others.

Brooklyn, Bellas sister has been using Makaton for about 6 years now. Both the girls love to sing and sign. So, to walk around Alton Towers and be greeted in sign and have symbols you can follow it just feels very inclusive. All the family can interact with entertainers, shop staff, guest services. I think they can all use Makaton so it just brings down that barrier of them and you because they can continue to talk with the use of Makaton to support the conversation. Simply the icing on the cake.

Kate McBirnie, head of guest excellence at Alton Towers Resort said: "We want our teams to be able to engage and communicate on all levels. Equipping frontline teams with these skills will help guests feel more included in experiences at the park, particularly young guests visiting CBeebies Land and the CBeebies Hotel”

Makaton Ambassador Amanda Glennon said, “Alton Towers Resort continues to understand the importance of using Makaton in communication and they continues to strive to make their attractions as accessible and inclusive as possible. The entertainments team are front and centre of communication with guests and this training helps them understand Makaton and really get confident with their enhanced communication skills.”

Author

Claire

13th April 2022

In 2018, Aged 16 I became the only DJ in the UK to be Makaton Friendly. It was a proud moment, not just being recognised as an inclusive entertainer, but it also raised awareness of the need for entertainers like myself to step up and deliver an equal event experience.

Through my own close bond with my cousin Alice, a Makaton User I had a passion to make my own path and Makaton became a big part of that.

In the 3 years since then I have been blown away with the opportunities that followed this accreditation.

I have supported events for Charities all over the UK, made an appearance on CBBC Newsround and Something Special, and the highlight was meeting the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Kensington Palace.

When the pandemic struck it had a devastating impact on the entertainment sector, and I was grateful that I was still able to reach children with learning disabilities/autism with virtual sessions via Zoom. I believe it made visual communication key to performances and this made sure I kept using and developing my use of Makaton.

When my Makaton Friendly license expired in 2020, I was keen to re-apply and found the scheme on hold due to Covid, with plans to relaunch in 2021. As soon as the new Makaton Friendly Scheme was launched, I began my application. I was pleased to find that as I have completed Makaton Level 2 training, I was able to apply for a Silver status.

My Silver status means that I have access to Makaton’s digital library as well as the Makaton Friendly Prompt Cards. Wherever I am I can search a concept on my phone and check the sign and symbol. This helps me include everyone live at the event, which is my number one objective.

I love the Makaton Friendly Map, which provides a way for parents, carers, and Makaton users themselves to find organisations that use Makaton.

You can search by area postcode, say you are going on holiday somewhere and want to plan where to go. A nice new feature is to search by type so if you search DJ you will find currently DJ Jay is the only one in the UK on the map!

I love that Makaton Friendly supports not only Makaton users but also people like me raise awareness of my business and its use of inclusive communication.

Do you work in an organisation or have visited somewhere that you feel is Makaton Friendly? We have more information for organisations about Becoming a Makaton Friendly Partner. Alternatively, please contact us at [email protected] if you would like some more guidance  on how to help an organisation to become Makaton Friendly.

Author

Jake Glennon  

7th January 2022