Winners

Congratulations to the winners of the Signature Annual Awards 2009.

Joseph Maitland Robinson Award for Outstanding Contribution

Lynn Delfosse
Seeing the exclusion faced by Deaf people motivates many to become sign language interpreters, for Lynn it was only the beginning. After qualifying in 1996, she persuaded RNID to extend its services to Wales, and helped establish RNID Cymru in 1997 offering a wider range of services to the deaf community of Wales. Discovering that the shortage of interpreters in Wales was more pronounced than anywhere in the UK, Lynn approached the Welsh Assembly Government who provided £2.7 million. This led to the BSL Futures Project, the biggest sign language interpreter training project in Europe, where Lynn played a leading role and quadrupled the number of interpreters in Wales.
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Learner of the Year

Jon Hickman - Poole Adult Learning / South West
The winner of the Learner of the Year award, Jon is recognised for his exceptional commitment to learning and his contribution to the wider community. Jon, a school technician from Broadstone, began studying for his Level 1 Certificate in British Sign Language in September 2008. Whilst developing his own skills, he encouraged fellow students to get involved in workshops and help increase their confidence. As well as helping fellow students Jon also volunteered as a guide at a summer 2009 event in Dorset organised by Sense.
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Teacher of the Year

Robert Le Masurier
Robert was awarded Teacher of the Year recognising his achievements as the only qualified teacher of Level 1 and Level 2 Certificate in British Sign Language in Jersey. Robert has been called a gifted teacher and a superb role model for his students. He works with children, adults and those with special needs and adapts his teaching style accordingly.
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Communication Professional of the Year

Sara Scanlon
Sara has been working as a lipspeaker for over ten years. Her award as Communication Professional of the Year recognises over a decade of work with deaf people and acknowledges the continued contribution to lipspeaking she makes throughout the UK. Qualified as a lipspeaker since 1996, and a notetaker since 1998, Sara was encouraged to become a communication professional whilst undertaking a post-graduate Diploma in Deaf Studies and Sign Communication at Reading University.
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Organisational Achievement

Hertfordshire Constabulary
The constabulary has been recognised for their commitment to bridging the communication gap between deaf and hearing people on its beat by being awarded the Organisational Achievement award. Already winners for their diversity work at the Chief Constable Awards in 2008, Hertfordshire Constabulary have made excellent progress towards the provision of equal access for deaf people throughout their local community.
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