Deaf talent showcased in 'Hands Up' festival In 2015 GDA hosted our first ever 'Hands Up' festival, which brought Deaf talent from around the country to Gloucester. The first event in March welcomed well-known Deaf comedian John Smith, whose sharp observations and wit had everyone in stitches. In June that was followed by the madcap team of Improv Comedy who took great delight in enticing on to the stage the very brave representative from event sponsor Western Power Distribution. And then, to top a sell-out festival, we were thrilled to welcome Deaf sailing legend Gerry Hughes to our charity for a very special one-off evening. Everyone in the audience was captivated by this remarkable man, as he shared tales about being the first Deaf person ever to sail solo around the world. All three shows provided a great platform to showcase Deaf British talent and it was great to bring those talents to Gloucestershire. Special thanks to Western Power Distribution for their sponsorship of the Improv Comedy show. A new look GDA Community Centre A huge thanks to Gloucester Quays Rotary Club and our very own GDA volunteers who came together one very grey and wet day last November to give our Community Centre hall a much needed lick of paint after all the recent building works. DA's Community Centre, which dates back to the late 19th century, boasts a stunning beamed roof. Not surprisingly, it has become a popular venue of choice for external hirers as well as our own Deaf and hard of hearing groups, and we take a lot lot of pride in keeping the decor fresh. This year as well, we have added some striking black and white portrait pictures of people in the local deaf community. To hire either the GDA Hall or Ruby Room do get in touch with us on 01452 372999 or visit www.gda.org.uk. 5
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