Deaf community pays tribute to Terry Riley

The Deaf community is paying tribute to Terry Riley OBE, who sadly passed away yesterday, Wednesday 9th October.

Riley’s career and life focused on two main areas: Deaf broadcasting and his work for Deaf organisations.

At the heart of all of his work was the Deaf community. From the earliest days of his career, Riley campaigned for Deaf rights and this focus continued for the rest of his life.

While at the BBC series See Hear, he became the first Deaf Editor of the programme, from 2002-2008, having started as a researcher. As Editor, he focused on ensuring Deaf people were developed to work behind the camera, in the production team making the programme as well as on screen.

After leaving See Hear, Riley became the British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust’s first Chief Executive, commissioning its earliest programmes and guiding the early vision for the dramas, documentaries and comedies which were shown online and on TV via the BSL Zone.

At the British Deaf Association, across 50 years of service, he was a Branch Secretary, Branch Chairman, Area Council Chair, a member of the Executive Council, and Chair of the BDA for three terms from 2008 – 2018.

Riley worked internationally too, serving on the Board of the World Federation of the Deaf from 2011 to 2019 and was awarded the title of Honorary Board member in July this year.

In 2011, Terry was awarded the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Arts by the University of Wolverhampton. In 2014, Riley was awarded the OBE.

Riley remained active in his work for the BDA and WFD until very recently.

Since the news of his death broke earlier on today, numerous Deaf people across different walks of life have shared both video and written tributes to his life and the impact he had on their lives and careers.

Last year, two episodes of the BSL Zone series Close Up were broadcast, covering Riley’s life in a one-to-one conversation. If you’d like to know more about him, the programmes can be seen here and here.

There have been numerous tributes from Deaf organisations today.

On the programme’s Facebook page, See Hear said:

It is with great sadness that we learn of Dr Terry Riley’s passing today. Terry was a groundbreaking pioneer, an inspiring leader in the Deaf Community and a man who holds a special place in the hearts of the See Hear team. He was the first Deaf Editor of See Hear, a position he held from 2002-2008. We extend all our deepest condolences to Terry’s family and friends.

In a statement on their website, the British Deaf Association said:

The British Deaf Association is deeply saddened by the recent passing of our previous Chair, Dr. Terry Riley.

A passionate leader and inspirational figure, Terry has had a long association with the BDA spanning over fifty years at different levels; as Branch Secretary, Branch Chairman, Area Council Chair, as a member of the Executive Council, and finally as Chair of the BDA where he served three terms from 2008 – 2018.

May he rest in peace.

On Facebook, the European Union of the Deaf said:

On Facebook, The World Federation of the Deaf said:

Dr. Terry Riley OBE, Honorary Board Member of the World Federation of the Deaf, passed away at his home in Ashford, Kent, UK on October 9, 2019. The WFD expresses its deepest condolences to his family and the Deaf Community of the United Kingdom on his passing.

Dr. Riley OBE served on the Board of the World Federation of the Deaf from 2011 to 2019 and was awarded the title of Honorary Board member at the XX General Assembly of the World Federation of the Deaf in July 2019.

The WFD will share more information on Dr. Riley OBE’s accomplishments shortly. Please join us in honouring Dr Riley’s rich life and many accomplishments.

In 2014, deaf director and producer William Mager, See Hear’s Series Producer, wrote this article for Limping Chicken paying tribute to his achievements.

The article focuses on his career in broadcasting, but also describes Riley’s early career working for the gas board, personal tragedy he experienced, and his vision for what Deaf television should be like.

Limping Chicken would like to pay tribute to Riley’s life and accomplishments and offer our condolences to his family and friends.

By Charlie Swinbourne, Editor (who worked with Riley both at See Hear from 2006-2007 and at the British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust and British Deaf Association from 2013-2014).