A hilarious video showing more than 40 teachers and education assistants taking part in the ‘Toilet Roll Challenge’ has been watched all over the world – in countries including Australia, Fiji, Romania and Iraq.
The film was made by staff at Royal School for the Deaf Derby, in Ashbourne Road, in a bid to connect with their pupils while they are working at home.
It’s one of a series of films made by the school to support deaf children and their families all over the country. Staff have also made British Sign Language (BSL) films explaining how GCSE exams will be marked this year and also interpreting information from the Government about coronavirus.
But the school’s most popular video starts with head teacher Helen Shepherd appealing for more toilet roll, before 43 different members of staff pass it on in increasingly creative ways.
One hits it with a frying pan, another catches it in a fishing net and one member of staff tries to pinch a couple of sheets, but the roll keeps bouncing back until he replaces them.
The video, put together by teacher Marie Clampitt, has been viewed across the UK in cities including Manchester, Sheffield, Stoke on Trent and London, but more surprisingly it has also been watched in Nigeria, Pakistan and the United States of America.
Staff hoped it would make students smile during lockdown and they are gobsmacked that it has gathered a global audience.
Mrs Shepherd said: “We’re trying to do lots of fun things to keep the children entertained, as well as working, at home.
“Initially the toilet roll challenge was part of our weekly BSL Newsround video which we email to interested parties and put on our Facebook page. But it’s been so popular that people have been asking for it as an item on its own.
“It is very important for us to stay in touch with our students during lockdown because these are frightening times for all us, but it’s even harder if you are not able to access or understand accurate information, so our sign language videos have been really popular.
“The deaf community tends to be very supportive of each other and it’s really pleasing that the work we do here in school is being accessed and supported by people on the other side of the world.”
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