A BAFTA-winning actor is set to arrive in Chester next week, as part of Storyhouse's 2025 WayWord Festival.

The WayWord Festival is an annual October half-term event for children. Now in its fourth year, the festival aims to excite, inspire and celebrate the power of words to ignite the imagination.

EastEnders and Strictly star Rose Ayling-Ellis will join the line-up on 28 October with her debut novel for young readers, 'Marvellous Messages'.

Deaf since birth, Ayling-Ellis was taught British Sign Language (BSL) by her mother and is a prominent advocate for Deaf representation and accessibility, campaigning for the BSL Act which was passed in 2022.

This year's programme also includes appearances from Jacqueline Wilson, Liz Pichon, Jonny Duddle and Tom Gates, as well as performances of 'Pirates Love Underpants', 'Twelfth Night (for Kids)' and 'The Dinosaur That Pooped'.

Guests can join Ayling-Ellis, her cool cat Halo and their magical tour guide, Perky the Penguin, on a time-travelling globetrotting adventure to explore the story of communication as never before. Discover ancient language and decipher secret codes on a journey through time.

The event is being supported by Cheshire-based charity DSN (Deaf and Sensory Network).

DSN is providing training sessions for Storyhouse's front-of-house team and volunteers to ensure they can communicate with deaf visitors and make their day an even more enjoyable experience. 

"Representation and access are at the heart of what we do," said CEO of DSN, Gill Reeder.

"We are particularly proud of the role our young deaf people are playing in WayWord - using the confidence and presentation skills they have learnt through our Youth Vibe club to introduce Rose on stage for the event.

"It's inspiring to see events like Rose Ayling-Ellis' Marvellous Messages championing inclusion and celebrating deaf culture on such a prominent stage.

"Together, we're ensuring that all families, including those who use British Sign Language, can share in the joy of these creative experiences."

The Network will also be holding a BSL-signed Storytime on the same day featuring Julia Donaldson's 'Superworm' and 'That's Better' by Gill Reeder. 

In 2021, Ayling-Ellis won the 19^th series of Strictly with her professional partner Giovanni Pernice, raising awareness as the first deaf contestant on the show.

Her documentary 'Signs for Change' was nominated for a BAFTA Craft Award in 2023, and the following year she was made an MBE in the King's Birthday Honours for services to the deaf community.

She also worked with Mattel to create the first deaf Barbie doll with behind-the-ear hearing aids.

Tickets for this event are available here.

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