Lipspeaker UK

Should lipreading classes be recognised as health and wellbeing courses?

That’s exactly what a new petition is calling for.

Lipreading classes are currently often classified as leisure activities, despite the wide range of communication skills and strategies they can offer.

The petition is asking the Government to fund access to lipreading classes and recognise their role in health and wellbeing.

Find out more and read the petition below 👇🏻

As always, we encourage everyone to read the petition in full and make an informed decision before signing.

Petition: Fund access to lipreading classes, and classify as Health and Wellbeing course Lipreading courses can be essential rehabilitation for anyone who has lost some or all of their hearing. Therefore the Government should fund access to them and ensure they are classified as health and wellbeing courses rather than leisure activities, to recognise their importance.

Last week, Suzi had the privilege of attending Michael Woods Everest talk in Northampton, hosted by Deaf First

What an evening.

Like so many others in the deaf community, we've been following Michael's Everest journey with admiration. Seeing him share the reality behind the headlines was something else entirely. The highs, the lows, the setbacks, the fear, the determination and the sheer resilience it took to stand on the summit of the world's highest mountain.

It was emotional, inspiring and, at times, had the whole room holding its breath. Michael has an incredible way of bringing you along on the journey with him.

More than an extraordinary mountaineering achievement, Michael's story is a powerful reminder of what can happen when ambition, perseverance and purpose come together.

Thank you to Michael for sharing such an honest and moving account of his experience, and to Deaf First for hosting a fantastic event. Thanks also to Lianne for Lipspeaking at the event.

If you have the opportunity to attend Michael’s talk while he's on tour, we'd highly recommend it.

What a lovely way to spend a Saturday.

We were proud to sponsor and attend Deaf Day at Ocean in Exmouth; a brilliant event organised by the Deaf Academy as part of its 200th anniversary celebrations. It was wonderful to see so many people come together to celebrate the deaf community, learn about the services available and enjoy a day that felt genuinely welcoming and inclusive.

One of our favourite parts of the day was simply chatting with people. We met lots of new faces, caught up with familiar ones, answered questions about communication access and had some really interesting conversations throughout the day.

A huge congratulations to everyone involved in organising the event. Bringing together so many organisations, businesses and visitors takes an incredible amount of work, and it really showed.

Thank you as well to our team for representing Lipspeaker UK so brilliantly. Your enthusiasm, professionalism and genuine passion for improving communication access were evident in every conversation.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our stand. We hope to see you again soon!

We'll be at Exmouth Deaf Day this Saturday, and we can't wait!

We're proud to be sponsoring and exhibiting at Exmouth Deaf Day, organised by the Deaf Academy as part of its 200th anniversary celebrations. It's a fantastic opportunity to come together, celebrate deaf culture and connect with people and organisations from across the community.

If you're coming along, please stop by and say hello. Whether we've worked together before, you're curious about communication support, or you'd simply like to meet the team, we'd love to chat.

📍 Ocean, Exmouth
🗓️ Saturday 11 July
🕙 10:00am to 4:00pm

We look forward to seeing familiar faces, making new connections and being part of what promises to be a brilliant day.

See you there!

Most people think good communication support starts when the professional arrives.

In reality, it starts much earlier.

One of the most important decisions happens before the booking is even confirmed: choosing the right communication support professional.

The right match isn't simply about availability. It's about understanding the individual, the context and the communication required to give everyone the best opportunity to communicate with confidence.

In our latest article, we explore why thoughtful matching makes such a difference and what organisations should consider when arranging communication support.

Read the full article

Have you ever thought about everything that happens before communication support begins?

Why Choosing the Right Communication Professional Matters - Lipspeaker Choosing the right communication professional is more than availability. Matching the right professional improves outcomes for deaf people.

History made. Congratulations to Avril Langard-Tang. 👏

Deaf lecturer Avril Langard-Tang has become the first deaf woman to walk solo from John O’Groats to Land’s End, completing an incredible 1,000-mile journey in just nine weeks.

Her challenge, Silent Steps, wasn't just about reaching the finish line. It was about raising awareness and vital funds for The Deaf Health Charity SignHealth supporting deaf people through services including mental health and domestic abuse support.

At the time of writing, the challenge has raised more than £22,000 for the charity.

Achievements like this remind us that determination, resilience and community can create real impact. They also shine a light on the importance of accessible support for deaf people across the UK.

A huge congratulations to Avril on this remarkable achievement, and thank you for helping raise awareness of the services that make such a difference.

We did it! 🎉

Today, 11 students from our 2025 cohort received the results from their final assessment, and we’re incredibly proud to share that all 11 students passed, giving us a 100% pass rate.

This achievement represents months of learning, practice, perseverance and professional growth. Becoming a qualified Lipspeaker takes dedication, and every one of these students has worked incredibly hard to reach this milestone.

Congratulations to all 11 of our newly qualified Lipspeakers. You should be immensely proud of everything you’ve achieved.

A huge thank you also goes to our tutors, assessors and everyone who has supported this cohort throughout their journey. Your expertise, encouragement and commitment have helped make this success possible.

We can’t wait to see the positive impact our newest Lipspeakers will make by improving communication access for deaf people across the UK.

Congratulations once again. We’re incredibly proud of you all. ❤️



Alt: White and red graphic announcing a 100% pass rate for the Lipspeaker UK Class of 2025. The graphic states that all 11 students successfully passed their final assessment and congratulates the newly qualified Lipspeakers. A subtle Lipspeaker UK logo watermark appears in the background.