On the 5th March 2004, a group who claim to promote an ethical approach to Wicca
in the UK are holding a national event at Fairfield Halls in Corydon. It is
expected to attract hundreds of people with talks, workshops and a huge
collection of market stalls. The event is due to finish with a ball until
one in the morning.Crystal Rose, a Deaf Witch from Derby wanted to go to this event with some
friends but was concerned that she would not be able to make the most of it
without a BSL communicator. She is also a founding member of the SignPagan
project which aims to increase Deaf access to alternative-faiths and events
across the country.When SignPagan contacted Children of Artemis, the group responsible for this
event, they were unresponsive. Eventually they claimed that Fairfield Halls
would be too small to accommodate a BSL communicator, despite the event
attracting hundreds of people. Children of Artemis then explained that the
only way that the group would be allowed to bring a communicator or
interpreter would be if they bought them a ticket. Even after receiving all
of the information regarding the Disability Discrimination Act, they still
refused to make any allowances and eventually stopped responding.SignPagan contacted Fairfield Halls to ask for their opinion as the venue
provider. An official at Fairfield explained that according to their
disability access policy, a person in a wheelchair must pay for a ticket but
their attendant does not have to pay because they are viewed as a service
and not a consumer, they did not see why this should be any different for a
Deaf person with a communicator.
in the UK are holding a national event at Fairfield Halls in Corydon. It is
expected to attract hundreds of people with talks, workshops and a huge
collection of market stalls. The event is due to finish with a ball until
one in the morning.Crystal Rose, a Deaf Witch from Derby wanted to go to this event with some
friends but was concerned that she would not be able to make the most of it
without a BSL communicator. She is also a founding member of the SignPagan
project which aims to increase Deaf access to alternative-faiths and events
across the country.When SignPagan contacted Children of Artemis, the group responsible for this
event, they were unresponsive. Eventually they claimed that Fairfield Halls
would be too small to accommodate a BSL communicator, despite the event
attracting hundreds of people. Children of Artemis then explained that the
only way that the group would be allowed to bring a communicator or
interpreter would be if they bought them a ticket. Even after receiving all
of the information regarding the Disability Discrimination Act, they still
refused to make any allowances and eventually stopped responding.SignPagan contacted Fairfield Halls to ask for their opinion as the venue
provider. An official at Fairfield explained that according to their
disability access policy, a person in a wheelchair must pay for a ticket but
their attendant does not have to pay because they are viewed as a service
and not a consumer, they did not see why this should be any different for a
Deaf person with a communicator.
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