WatchWord Glasses available for Deaf & Hard of Hearing

QUAD in Derby is pleased to announce that they now have sets of WatchWord Captioned Glasses aimed at enhancing the accessibility of film for D/deaf, deafened and hard of hearing customers.  

WatchWord is a game-changer for D/deaf, deafened, and hard of hearing film- lovers. The cutting-edge system uses smart glasses and Wi-Fi to open up the magic of the big screen experience. The captions are broadcast straight to a wearable set of smart glasses, users can customise their experience by choosing the colour, size, and position for the captions. QUAD was the first cinema in the UK to participate in a trial of the ground-breaking WatchWord initiative at the beginning of the year. 

WatchWord glasses will work with films which have Closed Captioned subtitles, and the films that are suitable to be used with WatchWord glasses are indicated in the copy on the QUAD website and listings information.  

The glasses are available to use free of charge and can be booked in advance by emailing QUAD Box Office team: info@derbyquad.co.uk. 

QUAD will reserve set of smart glasses for the screening you wish to attend, and a staff members will be on hand to show how to use them. Customers will also need to purchase a ticket for the film screening. The WatchWord glasses are issued on a first come first serve basis, so pre-booking is advised as QUAD has a limited number of sets available. Customers can also enquire at QUAD Box office when visiting the Cinema. 

The glasses can only operate when distributors provide CCAP subtitles on the film, and this information is not always provided in advance of the release date – so customers are advised to check back nearer to a film’s starting run. Customers can find out more about our ongoing programme of accessible screenings here: https://www.derbyquad.co.uk/accessibility  

Eleanor Thornley CEO at QUAD said “We’re thrilled to have sets of WatchWord Glasses thanks to Built For Good with support from the UK Cinema Association. It’s great that we have gone from having a trial run of the glasses in January to now being able to permanently offer them to D/deaf, deafened and hard of hearing customers.” 

Tabitha Allum, Chief Operating Officer, Built For Good Technology Ltd, added:  “Going to the cinema is an everyday activity which is still inaccessible to many D/deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people. We are delighted that WatchWord is going to be available at Derby QUAD so that more people can experience the joy of going to see a film with their friends and family members whenever they choose.”  

James Connor, Senior Policy and Projects Manager, UK Cinema Association added: “It’s great to see the WatchWord solution being made available to customers at QUAD as this is an exciting next step in efforts to make UK cinemas even more accessible for disabled audiences.” 

WatchWord Glasses are a fantastic new addition to cinema accessibility which have been developed by Built For Good with support from the UK Cinema Association and Innovate UK, which is part of UK Research and Innovation. 

ENDS  

NOTES TO EDITORS 

For more information about WatchWord please see: https://www.watchword.cc/cinemas-2 

QUAD is Derby’s centre for art and film, a mixed arts venue based on the Market Place. QUAD is the city’s cultural hub with a three-screen cinema, an art gallery showing the best in contemporary visual arts, digital workshop spaces plus an award-winning Café bar. QUAD has been at the heart of Derby’s cultural scene since it opened September 2008 and is internationally recognised for providing quality and excellence in the Arts. QUAD delivers an exciting, innovative and diverse programme which is popular with visitors of all ages, with a reputation in Photography, digital innovation & family friendly events. The venue organises FORMAT International Photography Festival and Derby Film Festival. QUAD is a partnership between Derby City Council and Arts Council England. QUAD is open daily from 10am, for more information please visit: www.derbyquad.co.uk  http://twitter.com/derbyquad   

For further information please contact QUAD Press on 01332 285422 / press@derbyquad.co.uk