The UK’s latest official language was celebrated in Woking town centre last weekend.
The BSL Fest, organised by Woking resident Claire Ingham, marked British Sign Language (BSL) being given legal status.
Under the BSL Act 2022, BSL is now recognised as a language of England, Wales and Scotland in its own right.
Claire decided that a public celebration of BSL would be a good way to raise awareness of the language.
The festival included performances from Fletch (one of the UK’s leading deaf sign song performers) and a signing choir from New Haw Community School.
Jonathan Lord MP commented, "I congratulate Claire Ingham and all those who organised the wonderful BSL Fest in Jubilee Square and our town centre. There were lots of interesting street stalls and some great performances and activities on the main stage. It was a great honour for me to be asked to welcome everyone to this festival and I was also delighted to say a few words about the successful campaign, both locally and nationally, to get BSL recognised as an official language here in our United Kingdom via the new BSL Act of Parliament."
