Merseyside Society For Deaf People Enjoy Goodison Experience

Community members of the Merseyside Society for Deaf People (MSDP) enjoyed a day behind the scenes at Goodison Park recently thanks to a series of guided tours supported by British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters.

Delighted guests of all ages learned about the storied history of the 133-year-old stadium – and its future as the new home of Everton Women – as they visited the player areas and experienced walking out of the tunnel and up the stairs of the iconic Goodison tunnel.

The collaboration with MSDP saw three tours take place, offering deaf and hard of hearing supporters a chance to experience the stadium tour in a tailored and fully accessible way.

Professional BSL interpreters from MSDP ensured the stories told by Everton's team of knowledgeable tour guides were enjoyed by all, with guests learning about Dixie Dean's deep-rooted connection to the stadium, the Club's most successful era in the mid-1980s, and the plethora of firsts that have seen Goodison play an integral role in English football since it first opened in 1892.

Chris Massam, Accessibility Lead at Everton, said: "With this being such a historic year for Goodison, stadium tours have been more popular than ever.

“We are always looking at ways we can deliver tailored experiences for our supporters and this collaboration allowed MSDP community members to experience the history of Goodison - and all the stories the Grand Old Lady has to tell - in a way that was most suited to their needs.

"We are proud of our commitment to accessibility and inclusion through our All Together Now campaign and to be working with the brilliant people at MSDP to create these opportunities for our supporters."

Mandi Cain, development officer at MSDP, said: “Thank you to the Everton staff for providing us with such a fantastic tour - we had a wonderful time. 

"Our community members found it incredibly enjoyable and informative. Many of our community members have been lifelong Everton supporters so it was brilliant to have an interpreter present so that everyone could fully engage with the experience. 

"The tour guides were amazing, full of knowledge and funny stories that kept us all entertained. We especially loved seeing the old team photos, which brought back many memories. It was a fantastic, emotional day for everyone involved. Thank you to Everton for organising such a meaningful and inclusive experience."

BSL interpretation was tested at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium for the first time last weekend as the Blues hosted AS Roma for a pre-season friendly – the Club’s final stadium test event. More on the accessible provision available at Hill Dickinson Stadium can be found here.