Calypso-Supporting Deaf Lives through Music & Arts
Tax deductible
ONLINE & OFFLINE FUNDING RECEIVED TO DATE IS £15,737 - see details at the the bottom of this DECIBELS APPEAL STORY.
DECIBELS NOW NEEDS TO RAISE £18,000 MORE AS OUR TOTAL APPEAL IS £33,737.
OUR VISION: To engage the Deaf community in Barbados, the UK and further afield to give them a voice and engage wider society; to create new links between deaf and hearing communities.
'Calypso' is a collaboration between Decibels, Audiovisability, Barbados Council for the Disabled, SpecialKidz International, The Peter Boos Foundation and other partners.
photo: initial Calypso meeting involving Peter Boos, Ken Carter, Helen Lansdown and a range of Bajan professionals
‘Calypso’ will bring together deaf and hearing musicians, artists, film makers, and writers from across the UK, USA, and Barbados. Music is a powerful expressive tool in society and, in our digital age, often attracts and inspires people from all corners of the world. Audiovisability will draw on the vibrant history of Calypso music on the island of Barbados, blending it with Hip-Hop and digital music, to emphasise the island’s culture as well as looking at deafness and the world at large.
Why?
Deafness is not often seen as a positive thing in this world. A local, professional Barbadian Sign Language interpreter Bonnie Leonce expresses her concern by reporting in the Barbadian press:
“Deaf people in Barbados leave school and are in a world of their own unless they go out and find a job which pays them very little since they have nothing in terms of certificates to prove they are capable of carrying out certain duties. The sad thing about this is that (…) when you ask them what their dreams are or what they want for themselves in the future, the answer is simply: nothing! Why? Because as they see it, their future is a dead end.”
Photo: Deaf musician Eloise Garland plays her violin to deaf students in Barbados
There is a lack of further education opportunities and career options for deaf people on the island. The relatively small community is neglected and rarely (if ever) at the forefront or attention of society. Job opportunities for deaf people are less than mediocre and poorly paid, and the deaf community suffers from low morale.
Deaf Barbadian Maude says:
“Equality - for deaf people to be equal. I know we have a long way to go, but equality can happen and we want to be valued equally to everyone else. But we need to work together. The problem is there are too many divisions and we won’t improve things unless we work together.” – Maude.
Equality video by Barbados Deaf Association
Photos: With Ramon Woolfe, Ruth Montgomery, Eloise Garland and Deaf Bajan children with their teacher. Their future is important.
We want to respond to their concerns by showing both the deaf and hearing communities what deaf people can achieve with the right opportunities and support.
We will achieve this in two main ways:
1. By working with the deaf and hearing communities on the island on collaborative workshops and projects, improving the infrastructure of deaf education and creating new opportunities for deaf people in Barbados.
2. By working with deaf and hearing musicians and film makers from the UK, USA, and Barbados to compose, produce, and record three new songs to emphasise the island’s culture as well as looking at deafness and the world at large. These songs will be performed at Frank Collymore Hall and reach a global audience via the internet.
What is the funding for?
The funds raised will go towards the execution of the project as well as the core costs of artists and organisations involved. Part of the costs covers 10 artists fees, accommodation, long distance flights, travel, PR Marketing, subsistence and resources.
The musicians and artists will visit Barbados twice - the first time will be to conduct research, strengthen networks, and begin the creative process of song writing and music making. The second time will focus on community workshops and performances.
The Impact:
‘Calypso’ is a very real, exciting and ground-breaking opportunity for the deaf community of Barbados to be brought to the forefront of attention, building self-confidence, language development, and pride. It will promote engagement with the hearing world and the opportunity for the deaf community to begin harnessing their talents and using new skills to establish community projects and businesses of their own.
Whilst this isn’t a quick fix for the wider problem, we hope to provide a voice for the Barbadian deaf community forward to turn a corner in their lives after the impact of this project. We intend to build future leaders and continue with the networks after the project.
“When we treat all our citizens as ‘whole’, then we become a better functioning society.”
~ Bonnie Leonce.
Please join us to make a difference. We are raising money to benefit communities and deaf lives, and any donations will help make an IMPACT! Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to us.
KEN CARTER, DEBBIE FLORY, ELOISE GARLAND, RUTH MONTGOMERY OF DECIBELS & AUDIOVISABILITY ARE VERY PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT A SUM OF £15,737 HAS BEEN RAISED SO FAR .
THE OFF LINE DONATIONS ARE FROM :
THE PETER BOOS FAMILY FOUNDATION (£6,824 )
THE BAKER’S HALL WORSHIPFUL COMPANY SPECTACLE MAKERS EVENT (£966)
THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF PIPE MAKERS & TOBACCO (£500)
MAUREEN & ARTHUR KILBRIDE (£100)
GLORIA MCGREGOR (£500)
ANONYMOUS £2.5K
WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF GOLD & SILVER WYRE DRAWERS ( £2K)
TOTAL OFFLINE DONATIONS = £13,390
THE ONLINE DONATIONS ARE FROM :
DONNA EVERY (£49)*
ANGELA BUCKNOR-WABOSO (£49)*
PAULA MOHAMED (£98)*
ANONYMOUS (£98),
ANONYMOUS ( £29)*
ANONYMOUS (£1,962)*
ANONYMOUS (£49)*
GIFT AID (£13)
TOTAL ONLINE DONATIONS =£2,347
GRAND TOTAL = £15,737
*This figure is the amount after deduction of PayPal processing fees
UK DONATIONS BY CHEQUE -
For those wishing to give by cheque rather than online, please make it out to DECIBELS and send to our registered charity (No. 1109004)address:
DECIBELS, ITEC R&D Enterprises, Room E3 & E4 TOB1,Earley Gate, University of Reading ,Whiteknights Road, Reading, Berkshire,UK.RG6 7BE.
BARBADIAN DONATIONS BY CHEQUE
Please send to -Barbados Council for the Disabled,Harambee House The Garrison St Michael, Barbados.
Date : Wednesday,29th January,2020
DECIBELS NOW NEEDS TO RAISE £18,000 MORE AS OUR TOTAL APPEAL IS £33,737.
OUR VISION: To engage the Deaf community in Barbados, the UK and further afield to give them a voice and engage wider society; to create new links between deaf and hearing communities.
'Calypso' is a collaboration between Decibels, Audiovisability, Barbados Council for the Disabled, SpecialKidz International, The Peter Boos Foundation and other partners.
photo: initial Calypso meeting involving Peter Boos, Ken Carter, Helen Lansdown and a range of Bajan professionals‘Calypso’ will bring together deaf and hearing musicians, artists, film makers, and writers from across the UK, USA, and Barbados. Music is a powerful expressive tool in society and, in our digital age, often attracts and inspires people from all corners of the world. Audiovisability will draw on the vibrant history of Calypso music on the island of Barbados, blending it with Hip-Hop and digital music, to emphasise the island’s culture as well as looking at deafness and the world at large.
Why?
Deafness is not often seen as a positive thing in this world. A local, professional Barbadian Sign Language interpreter Bonnie Leonce expresses her concern by reporting in the Barbadian press:
“Deaf people in Barbados leave school and are in a world of their own unless they go out and find a job which pays them very little since they have nothing in terms of certificates to prove they are capable of carrying out certain duties. The sad thing about this is that (…) when you ask them what their dreams are or what they want for themselves in the future, the answer is simply: nothing! Why? Because as they see it, their future is a dead end.”
Photo: Deaf musician Eloise Garland plays her violin to deaf students in BarbadosThere is a lack of further education opportunities and career options for deaf people on the island. The relatively small community is neglected and rarely (if ever) at the forefront or attention of society. Job opportunities for deaf people are less than mediocre and poorly paid, and the deaf community suffers from low morale.
Deaf Barbadian Maude says:
“Equality - for deaf people to be equal. I know we have a long way to go, but equality can happen and we want to be valued equally to everyone else. But we need to work together. The problem is there are too many divisions and we won’t improve things unless we work together.” – Maude.
Equality video by Barbados Deaf Association
Photos: With Ramon Woolfe, Ruth Montgomery, Eloise Garland and Deaf Bajan children with their teacher. Their future is important. We want to respond to their concerns by showing both the deaf and hearing communities what deaf people can achieve with the right opportunities and support.
We will achieve this in two main ways:
1. By working with the deaf and hearing communities on the island on collaborative workshops and projects, improving the infrastructure of deaf education and creating new opportunities for deaf people in Barbados.
2. By working with deaf and hearing musicians and film makers from the UK, USA, and Barbados to compose, produce, and record three new songs to emphasise the island’s culture as well as looking at deafness and the world at large. These songs will be performed at Frank Collymore Hall and reach a global audience via the internet.
What is the funding for?
The funds raised will go towards the execution of the project as well as the core costs of artists and organisations involved. Part of the costs covers 10 artists fees, accommodation, long distance flights, travel, PR Marketing, subsistence and resources.
The musicians and artists will visit Barbados twice - the first time will be to conduct research, strengthen networks, and begin the creative process of song writing and music making. The second time will focus on community workshops and performances.
The Impact:
‘Calypso’ is a very real, exciting and ground-breaking opportunity for the deaf community of Barbados to be brought to the forefront of attention, building self-confidence, language development, and pride. It will promote engagement with the hearing world and the opportunity for the deaf community to begin harnessing their talents and using new skills to establish community projects and businesses of their own.
Whilst this isn’t a quick fix for the wider problem, we hope to provide a voice for the Barbadian deaf community forward to turn a corner in their lives after the impact of this project. We intend to build future leaders and continue with the networks after the project.
“When we treat all our citizens as ‘whole’, then we become a better functioning society.”
~ Bonnie Leonce.
Please join us to make a difference. We are raising money to benefit communities and deaf lives, and any donations will help make an IMPACT! Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to us.
KEN CARTER, DEBBIE FLORY, ELOISE GARLAND, RUTH MONTGOMERY OF DECIBELS & AUDIOVISABILITY ARE VERY PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT A SUM OF £15,737 HAS BEEN RAISED SO FAR .
THE OFF LINE DONATIONS ARE FROM :THE PETER BOOS FAMILY FOUNDATION (£6,824 )
THE BAKER’S HALL WORSHIPFUL COMPANY SPECTACLE MAKERS EVENT (£966)
THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF PIPE MAKERS & TOBACCO (£500)
MAUREEN & ARTHUR KILBRIDE (£100)
GLORIA MCGREGOR (£500)
ANONYMOUS £2.5K
WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF GOLD & SILVER WYRE DRAWERS ( £2K)
TOTAL OFFLINE DONATIONS = £13,390
THE ONLINE DONATIONS ARE FROM :
DONNA EVERY (£49)*
ANGELA BUCKNOR-WABOSO (£49)*
PAULA MOHAMED (£98)*
ANONYMOUS (£98),
ANONYMOUS ( £29)*
ANONYMOUS (£1,962)*
ANONYMOUS (£49)*
GIFT AID (£13)
TOTAL ONLINE DONATIONS =£2,347
GRAND TOTAL = £15,737
*This figure is the amount after deduction of PayPal processing fees
UK DONATIONS BY CHEQUE -
For those wishing to give by cheque rather than online, please make it out to DECIBELS and send to our registered charity (No. 1109004)address:
DECIBELS, ITEC R&D Enterprises, Room E3 & E4 TOB1,Earley Gate, University of Reading ,Whiteknights Road, Reading, Berkshire,UK.RG6 7BE.
BARBADIAN DONATIONS BY CHEQUE
Please send to -Barbados Council for the Disabled,Harambee House The Garrison St Michael, Barbados.
Date : Wednesday,29th January,2020
Fundraising team: Audiovisability Decibels Specialkidz International (3)
Decibels Charity
Organizer
England
DECIBELS
Registered nonprofit
Donations eligible for Gift Aid.
Peter Boos
Team member
Eloise Ruth Garland
Team member
Begin your fundraising journey
