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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics

The best Christmas gift I could have got

British Sign Language rally in London, UK - 28 Jan 2022Mandatory Credit: Photo by Thomas Krych/SOPA Images/REX/Shutterstock (12780698h) A protester seen holding a placard expressing her opinion during the demonstration. British sign language and deaf community rallied opposite the U.K. Parliament in support of BSL (British Sign Language) bill which recognises sign language as an official language of the United Kingdom. British Sign Language rally in London, UK - 28 Jan 2022
British sign language is to be offered as a GCSE subject, after a long campaign. Photograph: Thomas Krych/Sopa Images/Rex/Shutterstock

Aged 80, this is the best Christmas present I could have got (British Sign Language to be offered as GCSE subject, 21 December) – to know that in the future, children will have the chance to learn and be included. I have taught my husband the fingerspelling alphabet, which helps enormously when I get excluded. It’s not signing, but the beginning of being included and being accepted – my wish in life. Well done, Daniel Jillings, for your campaign.
Jean Jackson
Seer Green, Buckinghamshire

• While returning to the village of East Coker after a short Christmas shopping expedition to a slightly disappointing, partially reconstructed Yeovil town centre, seeing flowering daffodils on the side of the lane most certainly cheered me up and brought a smile to my face. Is spring here early for next year, and is this a blooming record?
Martin Wells
East Coker, Somerset

• Reading about Michelle Mone (Report, 19 December), I could not help remembering a group of my friends who spent many hours stitching PPE from donated fabrics for their local hospital. Could there be two more disparate views of social responsibility?
Pauline Gaunt
London

• Am I missing something here? A person defaces a road sign in Peckham and is lauded for it. Another person allegedly removes the defaced sign and is arrested (Banksy artwork stolen less than an hour after unveiling in south London, 22 December).
Andrew Varley
Basingstoke, Hampshire

• After Adam and Rachel’s highly successful blind date (Blind date: ‘He said he’d like to marry me’, 23 December), may we please have a progress report in 12 months’ time?
Tim Ottevanger
Lutterworth, Leicestershire

• Do you have a photograph you’d like to share with Guardian readers? If so, please click here to upload it. A selection will be published in our Readers’ best photographs galleries and in the print edition on Saturdays.

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