Deaf Action aims to make Fife store a community hub

Deaf Action shop - staff Ros Hughes, Stuart Hall & Jennifer Hunt (Pic: Fife Photo Agency)

The shop, in the former Bethany charity’s premises in the east end of the High Street, opens next Thursday, March 1.

And as well as selling clothes, furniture, household goods and much more to raise money for the DeafAction charity, they are hoping that the shop will become a community hub, offering training, advice, sign language and lip reading classes, a meeting space and more for local people.

Jennifer Hunt, manageress at the shop, said: “We are really excited about coming to Kirkcaldy and we have already been receiving a warm welcome from the public with people handing in donations and asking when we are opening.”

Ros Hughes, shop assistant, added: “We want this to be a community hub where people come to spend time.”

Deaf Action is also seeking volunteers from the local community to give some time to help make the shop a success and work together for an equal and better future for deaf people.

One of the first at the new shop is Stuart Hall (41) from Kirkcaldy.

His son Craig has disabilities and he is learning sign language so he can communcate better with him.

He said: “I’ve done voluntary work in other places and when I heard about the shop opening this was a logical move.

“It is nice to be in from the beginning and to see it taking shape and I am looking forward to it opening.”

The new venue will also be home to Deaf Action’s Employability service which supports deaf adults over 25 who are out of work. It provides training to improve their chances of getting a job.

A new training room behind the shop will also be available for deaf awareness sessions and British Sign Language classes later in the year. Equipment to help with hearing loss, such as loop systems will also be available to rent.

Deaf Action is holding a launch event at the shop on Wednesday, with a sign language taster session, followed by refreshments and an opening ceremony by chief executive, Philip Gerrard.

The shop will then open to the public at 9.30am next Thursday, when anyone interested in volunteering can pop in for a chat.