National Trust
We are currently working with a number of National Trust portfolios in creating access to their properties for Deaf, BSL users.
Here are some examples of how the National Trust team have worked with Heritage Interpreters to accomplish this:
Chartwell Portfolio, Surrey
The National Trust Chartwell Portfolio team, including Chartwell, Emmet's Gardens and Quebec House, has worked with HI to organize a series of BSL Interpreted tours over the last two years. They chose our service of promoting the tours via a short BSL advert. It has been a very successful tour with Deaf, BSL users, many have enjoyed learning the history of Winston Churchill and stories of his private life through a BSL Interpreter.
HI were also invited to train National Trust staff from London and the South East at a one day training session of Deaf Awareness.
Calke Abbey, Derbyshire
Calke Abbey has chosen different themed exhibitions to have interpreted into BSL for three months of each year.They also chose to promote them via a short BSL advert that we produced and marketed.
Front-of-house staff and volunteers also benefited from a Deaf Awareness training course, creating a welcoming environment for Deaf, BSL users visiting Calk Abbey for the BSL Interpreted tours.
Stowe Landscape Gardens, Buckinghamshire
National Trust Stowe Landscape Gardens were one of the first National Trust properties we helped to develop access for Deaf people. Over 20 Deaf, BSL Users enjoyed a day of BSL Interpreted garden tours. They found out about the day from the short BSL video we produced. Tours have started there again this year and will continue into 2026.
The team have used the services of HI to teach their staff basic sign language related to their job role at Stowe. They also used HI to create a QR coded map to convey the information of Stowe via BSL.
National Trust Other Properties
We have worked with other National Trust properties either with a one-off training session or an Interpreted tour. For example, 2 Willow Road, Knole, Shugborough Hall, Children's Country House, Ilam Hall. We hope these and other places continue to develop and use more of our services to create even wider access for their Deaf visitors.
