ROMSEY’S bid to become the first Makaton-friendly town in the UK has edged a step closer as more businesses in the town sign up to help those with learning difficulties.

More than a third of the total number of companies needed to complete the bid have now become accredited to make it easier for disabled residents to use facilities independently.

Bosses at the Makaton charity say accreditation will be given to the town if 30 businesses in Romsey can learn 20 signs or symbols which they can then use to communicate with.

And now a further call has been launched by local group Speaking Space, who are spearheading the bid, to add more names to the already accredited 11 businesses.

Nevertheless, many big companies in the town have already put their name down to be involved with the campaign, including Waitrose, Lloyds Bank, The Rapids and members of the Romsey chamber of commerce members. Local police, fire and ambulance crews have also signed up.

But Hannah Anderson, of Alex Kelly ltd which runs Speaking Space, wants more local, family-run businesses to sign up to help make Romsey more accessible.

“This has not been done before so we are setting the example and so have no guide to follow,” she added.

“But, so far, what we have noticed is that more and more residents with learning disabilities are able to go into the town centre and be independent.

“This is fantastic, but we would like more businesses to sign up to make the town even more accessible.”

Alex Kelly, owner of Alex Kelly ltd, said: “We are now asking for small businesses to come forward so we can get to the 30-mark and Romsey will be recognised as Makaton-friendly. Then we will go to the bigger businesses, as there are a lot more hoops to jump through to become accredited.”

However, Alex added, that many workers in the town, especially at Waitrose, use Makaton despite not being recognised as Makaton-friendly.

Caroline Nokes, MP for Romsey, said: “Hannah and Alex have shown a huge dedication and commitment to making sure Romsey secures Makaton-friendly status – it really is an ideal location as the town centre is quite compact and already committed to being dementia friendly.

“It is so important that we provide a welcoming environment for people with all different types of ability, and those who have a communication impairment want to be able to enjoy all the services the town has to offer.

“I am determined to make it one of the questions I ask local businesses, whether they have signed up to being Makaton-friendly, and to point out the advantages it could bring their businesses as well as the town as a whole.

“Romsey is very lucky to have a vibrant and strong local community and being Makaton-friendly could very much enhance that.”

Makaton is designed to support spoken language and the natural gestures used with speech. This helps provide extra clues about what someone is saying.

For those who have experienced the frustration of being unable to communicate meaningfully or effectively, Makaton enables individuals to connect with other people and the world around them. This opens up all kinds of possibilities.

Alex Kelly ltd has offered to run free two-hour taster sessions for interested businesses, which is enough time to learn the 20 symbols. Each business will also have a Makaton card, which displays a number of symbols, that can be used to aid communication further.

To get involved, contact Hannah on 02380 987134 or by emailing: hannah@alexkelly.biz