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'Learning sign language has been life-changing'

WMCA A man with short grey hair on the sides of his head is looking at the camera and smiling. He is wearing a grey Nike jumper and is standing in front of a red brick building.WMCA
Tim Jackson, 72, who experienced sudden hearing loss, has won a skills for life achievement award.

A 72-year-old student has won an award for learning British Sign Language (BSL) after experiencing episodes of sudden hearing loss.

Tim Jackson was named winner of the Skills for Life Achievement Award at the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Adult Learning Awards 2025.

Mr Jackson, from Wightwick, in Wolverhampton, said he wanted to learn BSL so that he could adapt more easily should his hearing decline further and added it had been "truly life-changing".

His teacher and nominator, Ruth Langard, called him inspirational for proving that it was never too late to embrace learning.

The Adult Education Wolverhampton student began to learn BSL after two episodes of sudden sensory neural hearing loss, which left him profoundly hard of hearing.

"It's not just about communication; it's about confidence, community and navigating my new reality with resilience and optimism," he said.

Doctors told him a third episode of hearing loss would be unlikely, but Mr Jackson said he preferred to be proactive rather than reactive.

BSL had enabled him to engage more fully with the deaf community and ensured he would "always have a way to connect with others, no matter what happens".

Mr Jackson never let younger students, who tended to pick up sign language more quickly, discourage him, said Ms Langard, describing him as steadfast, committed and eager to learn.

The WMCA Adult Learning Awards celebrate individuals and organisations who have gone above and beyond in adult learning, skills and training.

There were a total of nine winners in 2025.

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