Derbyshire concert arena goes the extra mile to make a young deaf girl's Michael Jackson dream come true

A young Michael Jackson superfan was left jumping for joy after a Derby concert venue went the extra mile to make sure she could enjoy a tribute show – by arranging a British Sign Language interpreter without even being asked.

Amelia, who was born profoundly deaf, was desperate to see a recent Michael Jackson tribute show, “Michael Starring Ben – The Magic of Michael Jackson”, at Derby's Vaillant Live.

Having never visited the venue before, her family contacted its customer support team to ask where would be best for her to sit. They explained they were bringing their deaf daughter and wanted to make sure she could enjoy the performance. They weren't expecting anything more than a little advice.

Amelia's parent said: "I didn't email to ask for a BSL interpreter. I just explained that I would be bringing my deaf daughter with me and asked for their advice about where we should sit so that she could have the best possible experience. I honestly wasn't expecting anything more than some advice about the seats."

The response from the city-centre venue, which is owned by Derby City Council and operated by ASM Global, was almost instant. Staff asked which seats the family had chosen so an interpreter could be positioned within Amelia's sight. Once the booking was confirmed, Vaillant Live arranged the interpreter and emailed to say everything was in place. All of this was organised in less that 24 hours.

Marcus Sheehan, General Manager at Vaillant Live, said the venue was delighted to hear about the family's experience and remained committed to making live events accessible. "We're delighted to hear about this positive visit to the venue. We're committed to making our events accessible for everyone and if a customer requires a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter, captioning, or audio description, we'll look to arrange this wherever possible” he said. "To help secure these services, we advise customers book as early as possible and get in touch as this allows us time to make the necessary arrangements and ensure suitable seating is allocated."

The venue, which opened on Colyear Street in Derby back in April 2025, also has a Changing Places toilet, accessibility hosts and volunteers who provide support and assistance at shows.

The story was praised by Paul Burrows, Headteacher of Derby's Royal School for the Deaf. Sharing his thoughts on LinkedIn, he said: "I'm always so happy to hear stories about organisations that go the extra mile to make sure everyone feels welcome and included – especially those in the Deaf community of Derby." He added: "Sometimes, inclusion isn't about grand gestures or complicated strategies. It's about listening, caring and taking action."

The post also caught the attention of Kirsty Corbett, presenter of Arts & Toast, an East Midlands-based podcast celebrating the arts in the region. Having moved to Derby 18 years ago, she said the city's Deaf community was one of the first things she noticed. She said: "I moved to Derby 18 years ago and one of the first things I noticed, whilst sitting in a cafe in the city centre, was multiple people using sign language and nobody made a fuss of it. It was just part of the city, its people and its culture.

"I am a huge advocate of the Arts, having moved here to study Creative Expressive Therapies as a student, and it was a joy to see Paul's LinkedIn post celebrating Amelia's love of music and the inclusive approach the city's arena took to making sure both Amelia and her family had the best night” said the podcast and DerbyONE radio presenter.

Her comments come as the importance of accessible entertainment is brought into sharper focus. According to figures cited by the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID), approximately 12 million people across the UK are Deaf or have hearing loss, with Derby having significant Deaf community.

Speaking in Parliament during National Sign Language Week in March 2026, Derby North MP Catherine Atkinson highlighted the city, describing it as having the largest Deaf community of any local authority in the country. Meanwhile, Performance Interpreting's UK venue directory lists 112 entertainment venues with accessibility contacts for interpreted performances: 92 in England, 13 in Scotland, five in Wales and two in Northern Ireland.

For Amelia's family, the experience reinforced just how important a supportive community can be in helping a Deaf child grow in confidence. Her parent said: "There is a saying that 'it takes a village to raise a child'. On that evening, without a doubt, Vaillant Live was part of our village."