A WIDNES woman has flown to Mexico with the Archbishop of Liverpool for a conference on deaf people.

Cathy Corish of Wellfield in Farnworth left last Friday for the week-long look at the needs of deaf people in the church and in society generally.

Cathy, 58, has been profoundly deaf since suffering whooping cough at the age of three.

Just before she left she said: "It will be new and exiting experience for me - because it's an international conference there will be different nationalities."

She worships at St Pius church on Derby Road, and works as a part time catechetical worker for the Nugent Care Society in Edge Lane, Liverpool.

She is representing them on the trip with the Archbishop, the most Reverend Patrick Kelly, who is president of the International Catholic Foundation, which looks after the needs of deaf people.

After 12 and a half hours of flying and a refuelling stop in New York, Cathy will see a week long discussion on topics like the young deaf community in Mexico, evangelisation and deaf culture.

"Being deaf myself, it will be interesting to see other deaf people and their different signs and cultures," said Cathy.

"I'd like to say a big thank you to the archdiocese of Liverpool for giving me this opportunity. Above all, I'm sure I will learn a lot of new things to bring back to the deaf community in England."

Pictured: Cathy Corish looks forward to her trip to a deaf conference in Mexico PHOTO by IAN PARK (IPW31703)