A CHARITY is looking for people who can use sign language to get in touch in an attempt to increase the services it offers.

Everyday Language Solutions (ELS), in Thornaby, hopes to attract qualified signers to its register to meet the demand in the North-East. ELS says it recognises British sign language as much as any of the other languages it is involved with.

Adrienne Atkin, operations manager, said: "We are desperately short of signers. On our register we have more than 140 interpreters who speak different languages but we only have four signers, and we are one of the few organisations in the North-East to provide a service.

"As a full registered charity and language company, we believe we cannot discriminate, so we provide sign language and Braille services to help the deaf and partially deaf and to assist the blind and partially sighted."

She said there was a strong demand for signers and for Braille in the employment, health, social care and housing sectors. These services help people with things such as training and obtaining employment, and with reading tenancy agreements.

The charity, which works in partnership with statutory, non-statutory and private sector organisations and supports a range of ethnic minority, voluntary and community organisations, can be contacted on (01642) 603203.