Sailing and signing with Santa

The sight of a jolly chap in a red suit waiting on Cascade Steps for the blue-and-yellow Bristol Ferry is a sure sign that Christmas is on its way. Following a successful pilot last year, the experience will be made even more special and inclusive, as Santa and his elves have received training in Makaton to help them communicate with more children than ever.

Bristol Ferry Boats’ Sail With Santa events run throughout December

Makaton is a language programme that uses signs and symbols to express words and ideas, and can be much simpler to learn than traditional sign language. As well as the usual songs and festivity, Bristol Ferry’s Sail with Santa events now offer children with communication difficulties the chance to tell Santa what they would like for Christmas, and for Santa to communicate back in a language they understand.

The project, #getsantasigning, which trains people across the country, was set up by regional Makaton tutor Nicola Pike. “The idea was born from our own experiences, both bad and good, visiting Santa grottoes with our non-verbal children, whose primary source of communication is Makaton,” she explains. “As Makaton tutors, we felt that all children should be able to have a meaningful experience when visiting Father Christmas, and decided to do something about this.”

Ciaran the Elf is trained in Makaton and works on Bristol Ferry

So far, the response from parents has been overwhelmingly positive. “My eldest son is non-verbal and gets frustrated when he can’t get his point across. He is trying very hard to communicate with Makaton. Last year when we went to see Santa they asked him his name and I quickly explained he was non-verbal. Straight away the elf and Santa both started signing to him. They made our trip. At the end my son hugged him which he wouldn’t normally do with a stranger,” one parent reported.

In the past, Bristol Ferry Boats have had entire trips booked out by families of non-verbal children, demonstrating the success and importance of a project like #getsantasigning. For Nicola of course, this is more than just training: it’s making Bristol more accessible to her children.

“It means the world to me that my son is able to live in a world where communication isn’t a barrier to him or other children with communication difficulties,” she says. “I adore Christmas – it’s such a magical time of year – and I firmly believe that all children should be able to tell Santa what they’d like for Christmas. We can give people the tools to do this, so why not give the gift of Makaton this Christmas?”

As well as on Bristol Ferry Boats, signing Santas can be found this month at Avon Valley Country Park, Longleat Safari Park and Emery Gate Shopping Centre in Chippenham. Home visits from signing Santa Jeff Casswell are also available: contact VisitsfromSanta@hotmail.com.

Sail with Santa boat trips set off from the city centre on December 9 & 10, and then daily from December 16 until Christmas Eve, with additional trips on the final three days. Parents are welcomed with a shot of sherry and mince pies, and children can help search for Santa so that the boat can pick him up.

For more information and to book tickets, visit www.bristolferry.com/public-trips/Sailwithsanta.