Makaton International Awareness Day is an opportunity to celebrate the power of communication and the importance of creating inclusive communities where everybody feels seen, heard and understood.
Last year, Makaton Tutor Ali Pennington saw first-hand the impact that community collaboration can have when she organised an event in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, bringing together local businesses, organisations, community leaders and families to celebrate Makaton International Awareness Day.
Here, Ali shares her story.
Communication is at the heart of connection
Communication is at the heart of connection. It's how we share our thoughts, feelings and needs. But for many people living with communication difficulties, everyday interactions that others take for granted – ordering a coffee, joining a group activity or asking for help – can feel overwhelming. This is where the power of the local community comes in.
When communities come together to support communication, they make inclusion possible. A shop assistant who knows a few Makaton signs, a teacher who uses visual supports, or a local business that understands the many forms of communication people may use can make a huge difference. These small actions create a lasting impact. They show that everybody's voice matters, no matter how it is expressed.
Community-led initiatives, such as awareness events and support groups, build understanding and confidence. They empower not only people with communication difficulties, but also their families and friends, who can often feel the weight of being misunderstood.
The ripple effect is powerful. When one person learns to adapt, others follow. Barriers break down, friendships form and people who once felt excluded become active, valued members of their community.
For local businesses, the benefits are clear too. Being seen as welcoming and inclusive encourages more people to visit, return and recommend. Inclusion doesn't just strengthen community spirit – it also makes good business sense.
At its core, supporting communication is not about specialist skills or expensive resources. It's about kindness, patience and a willingness to connect. Local communities have the unique power to make that happen, creating spaces where everybody belongs, every voice is heard and local businesses thrive alongside the people they serve.
Bringing the community together
To celebrate Makaton International Awareness Day 2025, I organised an event for our community in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, for local businesses, organisations and anyone with an interest in making our community more inclusive and accessible.
The event shone a spotlight on how we can better support people in our community with communication difficulties, while also introducing attendees to The Makaton Charity's wonderfully revamped and user-friendly Makaton Places initiative.
We were honoured to welcome our Deputy Mayor, Councillor Owen James, alongside one of our local Town Councillors.
The event was very well attended by local businesses, charities, organisations and local residents, including Makaton users and their families.
I began by welcoming everyone and thanking them for taking the time to find out more about Makaton and how we can really embed it into our community, in business, in public services and beyond. I demonstrated the Makaton Signs for 'Hello, how are you?' and 'My name is...', and attendees really enjoyed having a go themselves.
Learning from others
I also invited three incredible guest speakers, Chloë, Louise and Adam, who are all committed to making our community a more inclusive and accessible place.
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Chloë is a nurse, advocate and creative communicator who uses her own lived experience to champion disability as a strength.
Alongside her assistance dog, Ocho, she shared powerful stories about partnership and the importance of clear communication. Together, they captivated attendees using honesty and humour to spark conversations about hidden disabilities, inclusive design and the incredible impact of assistance dogs. Chloë also demonstrated how she and Ocho communicate through the power of gestures and signs.
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Louise is a published author, facilitator and a leading voice in neurodiversity and inclusive practice. With over a decade of experience in health and social care, she is also a Lead Facilitator for the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training, delivering nationwide training on autism and learning disabilities.
Louise joined us to share how inclusive communication can help break down barriers, particularly within the health and social care sector. She spoke about some of the shocking statistics affecting people with learning disabilities in healthcare and how outcomes could be improved through better education and training around supporting communication needs.
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Adam is the founder of Burley Inclusive, a post-16 provision for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). He has over 17 years of experience using signs and other forms of assistive communication.
Adam shared inspiring stories demonstrating how a few signs and small steps towards independence can make a remarkable difference to someone's health and wellbeing. Burley Inclusive is currently working towards becoming Makaton Friendly, which is just wonderful.
Looking ahead
Plenty of positive conversations were had, many important questions were raised and discussed, and it was an inspiring and successful evening that showed just how powerful community collaboration can be.
This is just the beginning. By continuing to work together, we can create a community where everybody feels included, supported and heard. Even small steps, like learning a few Makaton signs, can make a big difference and help ensure that every voice in our community is valued.
Due to the success of this first event, I'm very much hoping to make it an annual occasion and have even bigger plans for our community over the coming year. It has given me the confidence to reach our wider community and sing (and sign!) about just how amazing and life-changing Makaton can be from the rooftops.
Ali's Makaton International Awareness Day event is a wonderful example of the power of coming together as a community. By working together, learning from one another and making communication more accessible, we can help create places where everybody feels welcome, included and able to participate.
This Makaton International Awareness Day our theme is ‘Together’, so why not organise your own community event to mark the occasion!