SWINDONIANS are being challenged to make learning sign language their New Year's resolution.

Swindon-based national interpreter agency Sign Lingual is running sessions called An Introduction to British Sign Language.

The 10-week course provides a practical understanding of the techniques used.

Company spokesman Mark Starr said it was the perfect way to start learning a skill.

"Most people think of doing something different at the start of a new year, and BSL can be a lot of fun to learn," he said.

"It opens up a whole new world of communicating with deaf people, of course, but it is also an increasingly useful addition to your CV too.

"By the time they have completed the course, students will possess the basics of a skill that will be useful long after everybody else's resolution has been forgotten."

The introduction of the final part of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) in 2004, which affects all service industries, means that there is a growing call for people with experience of communicating with the deaf community.

In recent months, Sign Lingual has reported an upsurge of interest.

For more information about the course, which starts on January 27 and costs £40, phone 01793 690713.