This ground-breaking documentary uses archive footage, new available to the public for the first time, to tell the secret history of the Deaf community's fight for civil rights in the UK.

Power in Our Hands draws on the the British Deaf Association's (BDA) unique film archive to tell the story of Britain's Deaf culture, community and language - from the early days of well-meaning missioners who fought the corner of Deaf people to the politically engaged Deaf activists of the 1970s who had been inspired by the American civil rights movement. The film brims with wonderfully vivid scenes and entertaining accounts from some of the people who were present at gatherings where, in the words of one of the interviewees, "Deaf people began to question hearing control".

At the centre of their struggle for equal rights was the campaign for the official recognition of British Sign Language (BSL) - it was finally recognised as a minority language by the government in 2003 - a landmark breakthrough for the community. This is a window onto a history that has been largely ignored by the hearing world - and this special event is a great opportunity for both the hearing and the Deaf community to come together to celebrate the past, and look toward the future...

Power in Our Hands will be introduced by Carolyn Denmark, the BDA's Access & Inclusion (Heritage) officer.

After the film stay with us for a Panel Discussion chaired by artist and filmmaker David Ellington, who will be joined by Carolyn, Clark Denmark and Dr Paddy Ladd.

Both the introduction and the discussion afterwards will be signed by a BSL interpreter.

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