Chelsea and Cadbury bring British Sign Language to matchdays

The British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters will be available on-screen at all men’s and women’s domestic and European home fixtures, at both Stamford Bridge and Kingsmeadow, throughout the coming season, courtesy of Performance Interpreting.

Chelsea and Cadbury’s Sign with Fingers campaign, built in collaboration with the Chelsea Deaf Supporters Group and National Deaf Children’s Society, looks to celebrate and promote greater inclusion among the club’s fan communities and beyond.

‘It’s fantastic to have a full provision for BSL interpreters at all the club’s matches and stadiums for the coming season,’ said Dean Humphreys, head of the Chelsea Deaf Supporters Group.

‘Being able to communicate with the club fully means so much to deaf Chelsea fans and I am so proud that both sides are providing this service – a first in both the Premier League and Women’s Super League. It’s a great win for all of us.’

The campaign was born out of research that revealed 60 per cent of the population find it difficult to communicate with someone who is deaf and 27 per cent of Britons admitted to not knowing how to approach someone who is deaf. Chelsea and Cadbury are aiming to create a more inclusive environment at our stadiums, with the goal to upskill and educate players and fans in BSL.

Alongside the introduction of BSL interpreters at Stamford Bridge and Kingsmeadow, BSL interpreters will attend the clubs’ fan forums, alongside BSL-led stadium tours which were established last season.

Thanks to Cadbury, fan-favourite conversation topics in BSL will be distributed across matchday media and club digital platforms, as well as being hosted on the Cadbury Sign with Fingers Digital Hub alongside additional learning resources.

Providing supporters with information on deaf awareness and communication methods to help remove barriers and encourage better matchday connection between fans is at the heart of the project.

The initiative marks a significant step forward in Chelsea’s commitment to making our stadiums accessible to all, ensuring every supporter feels welcome, included and able to fully enjoy the matchday experience.

Louise Page, partnerships lead, Mondelez International, added: ’At Cadbury we want all families and fans to share and enjoy "Glass and a Half" moments together in inclusive and welcoming environments.

’As a league-wide first, our Sign with Fingers campaign is set to deliver season-long game changing impact for the Chelsea deaf fan communities at both Stamford Bridge and Kingsmeadow stadiums and for broader fans via the Sign with Fingers online learning hub.

’We’re excited to kick things off and work with both Chelsea men’s and women’s teams to deliver on our shared goal of meeting the needs of all supporters.’