BSL Advisory Board members revealed at British Deaf Association conference

The 16 members of the UK Government’s British Sign Language (BSL) Advisory Board, which was set up following the passing of the BSL Act last year, have been announced at the British Deaf Association’s BSL Conference in London today.

The individuals, who all have a lived experience of BSL, have been appointed for three-year terms, and will advise the government on the use of sign language in its communications and how to address issues facing the Deaf community – including increasing the number of interpreters.

The news follows the appointment of Action Deafness CEO Craig Crowley as co-chair of the board – alongside a senior civil servant – in November.

Mr Crowley said of today’s announcement: “I am really looking forward to welcoming onboard the new members of the BSL Advisory Board and together we begin our BSL journey towards implementing important milestones from the BSL Act 2022.”

The 16 members are:

1. Gaye Hampton – Project manager at Directions Plus, qualified translator and advisor to Signature and the NRCPD, and a member of the Wales Council for Deaf People.
2. Erin McCluskey – Former member of the Scottish Youth Parliament, a trustee for West Scotland Deaf Children’s Society and a freelance outreach worker for the British Deaf Association.
3. Brian Kokoruwe – Deaf equality trainer, qualified Teacher of the Deaf, author and trustee at Manchester Deaf Centre.
4. Scott Garthwaite – Also known as the ‘Punk Chef’, a Deaf chef at the Michelin star restaurant Hambleton Hall.
5. Mangayarkkarasy Sutharsan – Qualified BSL teacher, director at Empowering Deaf Society, trustee at Suvai Deaf East Community and former employee at the Royal Association for Deaf people.
6. Kate Reed – Deaf Teacher of the Deaf, headteacher at a Deaf provision, former inclusion expert for the Department of Education, and a member of BATOD and its committee for Deaf Teachers of the Deaf.
7. Joanna Atkinson – Lecturer and clinical specialist in neuropsychology; member of the BDA, Sense, Deafblind UK and the British Society of Mental Health and Deafness.
8. Asif Iqbal – Deaf rehabilitation officer for Deaf and hard of hearing people at Camden Council, president of the Harrow and Brent United Deaf Club, chair of the Hearing Loss Professionals UK Network and former chair of the Camden Disability Network.
9. Sylvia Simmonds – Deaf advocacy officer at Total Communication, former BDA vice chair and trustee, ex-LGBTQ+ advisor to the World Federation of the Deaf, and former trustee of the Deaf Women’s Health Organisation.
10. Teri Devine – CODA, Associate director for inclusion at RNID.
11. Richard MacQueen – Head of video production at Deaf Action, trustee for the NRCPD.
12. Ahmed Mudawi – BSL Zone presenter for This Is Deaf; member of St Johns Community Deaf Club, the BDA, Clapham Deaf Club, the Association of British Sign Language Interpreters (ASLI) and the Interpreters of Colour Network.
13. Martin Thacker – Deputy Director at the National Deaf Children’s Society, Conservative councillor at North East Derbyshire District Council, Vice President of Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire Deaf Society, and member of CODA UK.
14. Richard Platt – Chairman of Ipswich Deaf Children’s Society.
15. Zoe Fudge-Ajadi/Vicki Ashmore – Representing Deafblind tactile BSL signers, co-founders of the organisation BRIGHT Deafblind.
16. Samantha Stocken – Parent of a Deaf son, teacher, hospital volunteer and trustee for the Gloucestershire Deaf Association.

Their appointment was confirmed by Tom Pursglove MP, the Minister for Disabled People, during a speech at the BDA’s first BSL Conference to discuss the BSL Act.

In a statement, Mr Pursglove said: “Communication is a basic human right, and the British Sign Language Act makes it a reality for these children.

“The BSL Board will guide us on our path to implement these important changes, and I am pleased to be working with them, and learning from them, so that together we can make the UK a more inclusive and accessible society.”

In relation to Mr Thacker’s appointment and whether this could raise issues around impartiality and conflicts of interest, The Limping Chicken understands government guidance on public appointments were adhered to during the recruitment process for the board, and due diligence was undertaken for all appointees.

It is also understood that, in line with any other public appointment, all members are expected to maintain impartiality to the highest possible levels during their time on the board.

Elsewhere, the BDA confirmed in January that it would launch a new BSL Alliance to “expand” upon the existing BSL Act Now! campaign group and monitor the “progress of the BSL Advisory Board”.

The charity said the new alliance will include “regional and local” Deaf groups and have a “broader geographical reach” than the existing nine national organisations.

By Liam O’Dell. Liam is an award-winning Deaf freelance journalist and campaigner from Bedfordshire. He can be found talking about disability, theatre, politics and more on Twitter and on his website.