Adventurer and campaigner Gerry Hughes, the first Deaf man to sail solo around the world, will be a special guest at a day of events this month to celebrate Deaf language, culture and community in Fife. The Glasgow-born teacher and author, who has long campaigned for educational rights for the Deaf community, will be taking part in the British Sign Language (BSL) Culture Day 2026 celebrations on Saturday 21 March at Dunfermline Carnegie Library & Galleries. Visitors will be able to meet him when he gives a talk and takes part in a question-and-answer session at the venue from 1-2pm. He will then be happy to sign copies of his book, Bridging Our Differences, which will be available to buy priced £15. The event is free and a limited number of reserved seats can be booked through the Fife Deaf Communication Service. Gerry’s talk is part of a whole day of events marking BSL Culture Day. He said: “I am delighted to be taking part in BSL Culture Day and really looking forward to the opportunity to discuss my book with people attending.” A Community Marketplace will run from 10am-4pm. Visitors can find out about local organisations and services available to all, including Fife Police and Fife Centre for Equalities.
There will also be a selection of films running throughout the day celebrating the stories and creativity of Deaf people from Solar Bear, a Glasgow-based theatre company who focus on inclusivity and work with a variety of Deaf and hearing actors. A BSL Bookbug launch will take place from 11.30am-12 noon in the children’s library with a sign language session of stories, songs and rhymes suitable for youngsters aged five and under, who must be accompanied by an adult. The event is free but places should be booked in advance and details on booking can be found at www.onfife.com. “Our events on BSL Culture Day are a celebration of Deaf culture and an opportunity for everyone to come along, learn and take part and everyone is welcome,” said Ailsa Gormley, Creative Instigator with OnFife. BSL interpreters will be available on site throughout the day. This is the second annual Fife BSL Culture Day and is a collaboration between OnFife and the Deaf Communication Service, part of Fife Health & Social Care Partnership.
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