999 BSL
999BSL is a landmark App launched this earlier year. It allows easier access for Deaf people who need to contact emergency services using British Sign Language, improving communication and safety.
Access Bedford
Access Bedford is a charity group run by volunteers (no charity staff or office) that creates opportunities for the Deaf community in Bedfordshire and beyond to come together, reduce isolation and increase access.
Ahmed Mudawi
Ahmed is Deaf TV presenter. He is an inspirational role model and campaigner working for BSL Zone, he works to improve inclusion, he explores and shares his experiences of what it means to be a black deaf person in the UK. Ahmed is also a Sign Language interpreter.
Alexandra Adams
Alexandra is the UK’s 1st Deafblind person to become a doctor, they are also an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion advocate, a prolific writer/artist, they are the Faces of the NHS founder, and TED talk speaker.
BBC See Hear
BBC See Hear has shown a fantastic commitment to the Deaf Community, providing representation on the largest TV network in the UK. See Hear is currently the fifth longest-running BBC programme
Canon Gill Behenna
Canon Behenna has been recognised for her national work in making funerals accessible for the Deaf community, allowing for use of BSL and interpreters. The Canon provides advice to bishops and diocesan staff on awareness of Deaf people in the life of the church and ways to encourage their contribution to mission and growth.
Charlie Swinbourne
Charlie is founder of Limping Chicken, one of the largest independent deaf news sources. Charlie is an award-winning screenwriter, director and journalist who makes ground-breaking dramas, comedies and documentaries, often with Deaf people and sign language at their heart.
Chief Inspector Emma Gilbert
Chief Inspector Emma Gilbert of Greater Manchester Police has campaigned for accessibility rights to policing for deaf people, helping to develop the national strategy. Internationally, Emma has voluntarily worked on safeguarding deaf children in low resource and humanitarian crisis settings, through her work as criminal justice and safeguarding advisor, and trustee for Deaf Kidz International.
City Lit
City Lit have made their name as a British Sign Language teaching centre for many years, but have also made major contributions to deaf people with their annual Deaf Day, as well as other deaf activities and events that they organise and host.
Clark Denmark
Clark Denmark is a British activist, lecturer and interpreter. He is widely recognised within the Deaf community for his role in advancing the recognition and wider understanding of BSL.
Clive Mason
Clive Mason, known for BBC's See Hear, is a household name, bringing unique television access to the Deaf community through his time with the BBC and his time as a fully qualified interpreter.
Craig Crowley
Craig Crowley is the CEO of Action Deafness, a Deaf-led charity providing services in BSL interpreting and community support. He is the Honorary President of UK Deaf Sport. Craig obtained an MBE in 2006 as recognition of his service to Deaf Sport. Craig has been a Trustee of Royal School for the Deaf Derby since 2019. As a past Chair of UK Council on Deafness Craig was a key figure in the All Party Parliamentary Group on Deafness’ advocating for greater visibility and recognition of Deafness and for Communication access and BSL.
Cumbria Deaf Association
Cumbria Deaf have done amazing work in creating and building up a specialist community centre for the Deaf community in their local area. They have been supporting deaf people throughout Cumbria for over 125 years.
Daniel Jillings
Daniel is an amazing and hardworking teenager that has endlessly campaigned for a GCSE in BSL and has made waves publicly signing at events such as the BSL march at Trafalgar Square.
David Buxton
David Buxton is currently Chief Executive of Action on Disability and former Chair of the British Deaf Association. Whilst David was Chair of BDA he led the BSL Act Now campaign, which resulted in BSL being recognised as a language of England, Wales and Scotland.
Deaf Active
Deaf Active is a grassroots Charity working to support deaf people. Deaf Active is a vibrant young charity working to support, promote and enhance the lives of deaf children and young people.
Deaf Village North West
Deaf Village North West provide a holistic communication support packages for our Deaf community. They have created a hub that provides specialist services to deaf people comprising of The Deaf Village, a Deaf Hub and The White House.
Deafintely Theatre
Deafinitely Theatre are known for being the first completely Deaf led, and also Deaf launched theatre company in the whole UK, making theatre accessible to the Deaf Community.
Dr Minna Moffatt-Feldman
Dr Moffatt-Feldman has shown diligence in her work a BSL teacher, nominated by both colleagues and students, she has shown her tireless contributions towards improving communication.
Dr. Paddy Ladd
Dr Paddy Ladd is a Deaf scholar, author, activist and researcher of Deaf culture. Paddy was also part of the National Union of the Deaf which campaigned for TV access including programmes in BSL in the early 1990's.
Fylde Coast BSL and Janice Crossland-Jones
Fylde Coast and Janice Crossland-Jones have diligently and kindly taught BSL for many years, resulting in more BSL users in the UK.
Gateshead Low Incidence Needs Team (LINT)
The LINT work with Deaf/hard of hearing/hearing impaired/multi-sensory impaired young people and children and their families in Gateshead. They are currently supporting over 200 pupils in Gateshead.
Heathlands School and Zayne Tomson and Emma Caswell
Heathlands School, with teachers Zayne Tomson and Emma Caswell have proved themselves as a fantastic contributor to improving communication for the Deaf community, teaching hundreds of students BSL.
Highland Deaf Education Service
The HDES have improved deaf communication by creating a digital BSL pack which is now being used in 28 of 32 councils in Scotland to learn basic BSL. Highland Deaf Education Staff work in partnership with parents, colleagues from Education, Health, Social Work and Voluntary agencies to ensure that the needs of Deaf children are supported.
Kevin Buckle
Kevin is one of the leading activists and historians in Britain for the black deaf community, building bridges and working to make this history known throughout society. Now a part of Graduate Research Fellowship from York St John University.
Leeds City Council Deaf (DAHIT)
DAHIT are known as one of the founding members of the Sign Bilingual Consortium. They have been involved in establishing British Sign Language courses on various levels for many years.
Liam O'Dell
Liam O'Dell is a prominent and diligent Deaf journalist who shines a light on Deaf issues in society. In covering Deaf issues, Liam has been able to bring the community together to celebrate successes, and challenge inaccessibility.
Linda Richards
Linda Richards has given her life to supporting Deaf people, working since age 15, she has been involved with over 20 different Deaf organisations to promote and improve Deaf lives.
Lipspeaker UK and Lesley Weatherson
Lesley is the founder of Lipspeaker UK, who, for over 20 years, have innovated growth of lipspeaking in the UK. Lipspeaker UK is Britain’s only specialist provider of Lipspeakers.
Lord Ashley of Stoke
Lord Ashley made history as the UK's first deaf MP, who spent his life tirelessly defending the rights of deaf people. In 1986, Ashley and his wife founded the charity Defeating Deafness, now known as Deafness Research UK.
Luke Christian
Luke is a deaf entrepreneur and content creator challenging misconceptions around deafness. His content has helped him curate an engaged community of both hearing and non-hearing followers to learn more about deafness and his own experience. Luke’s fashion brand Deaf Identity creates designs that are often centred around deafness with graphic prints of sign language or statements that address the brand’s inclusive message.
Lynn Stewart-Taylor
Lynn galvanised the whole deaf community into action by highlighting the failure to provide BSL translation of the government briefings on Coronavirus. It was really inspiring to see how Lynn brought together so many deaf organisations and individuals in this campaign and for her tireless work to ensure that BSL citizens had access to this vital information.
Melinda Napier
Melinda, as the former head of City Lit, has been nominated not only as an exceptional Deaf Teacher to many students over the years, but also excels as an amazing mentor, helping to prepare other teachers to the world of BSL encouraging generations of both learning and teaching.
Paul Kirby
Paul is a registration inspector with the Care Quality Commission, his first language is British Sign Language. At the CQC Paul founded a BSL group for employees across the organisation, as well being instrumental in driving change across the organisation towards accessibility.
Performance Interpreting
Performance Interpreting are recognised for their role in opening doors to BSL access across the UK’s live music and entertainment industries. They ensure deaf customers have equitable access and the same magical experiences as everyone else. Performance Interpreting provide deaf performers, deaf and hearing interpreters, deaf access consultants and offer specialist training to ensure a high quality of skilled access provision.
Philip Linnegar
Philip has made the support of Deaf people his life, being the founder of the Herfordshire Deafness Support Association, supporting Deaf Community members throughout Herefordshire.
Reigate Park Primary School
Reigate Park Primary school have made waves by teaching level 1 British Sign Language to primary school children as part of their weekly curriculum, inspiring young people to learn BSL and become better communicators.
Rose Ayling-Ellis
Rose has shown hard work and dedication in bringing British Sign Language to the world stage, giving voice to the Deaf community through her spectacular appearance on Strictly Come Dancing and work campaigning for BSL.
Rosie Cooper MP
Rosie, is a CODA who's first language is BSL. As an MP, Rosie brought forward the British Sign Language Private Members Bill in 2021. Rosie worked to gain cross-party support for the Bill and worked closely with the Minister for Disabled people to get the Bill to recognise British Sign Language as a language of England, Wales and Scotland
Ruth Roberts
Ruth was instrumental in developing a whole new curriculum in sign language at the City Lit. Ruth also worked with CACDP (Signature) and introduced similar curricula and examinations.
Signly
Signly is a UK developed app that allows for synchronous, in-vision, sign language translations on any webpage for deaf sign language users, giving easier access to deaf people with BSL as a first language.
Signpost Productions
Signpost is a production company specialising in in-depth deaf friendly programming aimed at breaking down barriers and focussing on diversity and inclusion.
Signs for Thoughts and Penny Gunn
Signs for Thoughts and Penny Gunn have made a tireless commitment to the teaching of both BSL and deafblind courses and improving the lives of both Deaf and Deafblind communities in their area.
Simply Signed and Emma Somerville
Simply Signed and Emma Somerville have made amazing contributions to the Deaf community through their amazing work delivering BSL lessons, having dozens of students passing various BSL qualifications.
Stagetext
Stagetext was created to make venues more accessible and provide captions to museums and stage performances, allowing deaf people to read what is being spoken by tour guide or performers.
Stephen Brown
Stephen has been nominated for his long term commitment is helping the Deaf community, fighting for equal rights and inclusion for all Deaf children and adults. He was also instrumental in setting up a pilot scheme, now known as SignHealth.
Suzie Jones
Suzie is an experienced tutor in deaf awareness, Suzie also supported the development of qualifications for example STTR, Lipspeaker’s, deafblind communication and guiding.
The Deafness Resource Centre
The Deafness Resource Centre provides services that aim to empower, support and enhance the quality of life of deaf people. The charity is made up of different teams including a specialist equipment service, Deaf Advocacy, training and learning opportunities, communication services and a specialist children and family’s team.
Tyrese Dibba
Tyrese is a deaf and partially sighted teenager who created a series of viral videos teaching BSL to the public during lockdown and inspired over 80 thousand people to start learning. Tyrese now works with Sense to promote BSL.
West Midlands Fire Service
WMFS have created a specialised deaf team (a team of firefighters who all sign) they provide specialist advice and guidance on fire safety to deaf people. It was the first fire service in the UK to provide BSL translations to its website. The continue to improve accessibility for deaf people who live in the West Midlands.
York St John Student Union
The York St John student union worked to build and establish their BSL Society to encourage students to learn BSL and communicate with other deaf students. This helps to encourage those students at York St John university to take a full qualification in BSL.
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