Deaf News: Signature and NRCPD to become separate companies

A statement on the website for NRCPD (National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind people) says that Signature and NRCPD will become separate companies with their own leadership.

As part of this, Chief Executive Jim Edwards will leave, with his last day at Signature being 31st May, with Lindsay Foster, Signature’s current Chief Operating Officer, taking the new position of Executive Director of Signature. The leadership of NRCPD is yet to be announced.

The statement reads:

Signature and NRCPD have reached a new phase in their evolution.

After much thought, the Board of Trustees have agreed to change the structure of the charity to enable a greater focus on the development of Signature as an awarding body and the transition of NRCPD to full independence as a regulator of communication and language professionals.

As part of this process, Signature and NRCPD will become separate companies with their own dedicated leadership.

After 9 years as Chief Executive of the charity, Jim Edwards has decided that the time is right for him to move on and tackle new challenges. His last day at Signature will be 31 May.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, the Chair, Jonathan Farnhill, has expressed his thanks to Jim for his leadership of the charity and for the work he has done to improve the lives of Deaf and Deafblind people.

Jim has had a long and distinguished career working with and for Deaf and Deafblind people. At Signature he led on rebranding the organisation from CACDP to Signature and has played a pivotal role in building the professional standing and credibility of NRCPD, the national register of communication professionals who work with Deaf and Deafblind People.

Jim’s work as Chair of UKCoD, the umbrella body for voluntary organisations working with deaf people in the UK, has brought greater coherence to the sector’s efforts to maximise the positive impact they have on Deaf and Deafblind people’s lives. This has included strengthening relations with government and securing wider recognition of the need of Deaf and Deafblind people to have access to effective and professional communication support.

Lindsay Foster, Signature’s current Chief Operating Officer, has agreed to take up the new position of Executive Director of Signature. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, the Chair, Jonathan Farnhill, has expressed his thanks to Lindsay for her contribution to the charity to date, and for agreeing to take on this new role. The Board looks forward to working with her in the next phase of the development of the charity.

Further information regarding NRCPD leadership will be announced when it is available.