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Welsh sign expert picks up national award nomination

A leading Welsh sign language expert has been nominated for a national award for her dedication to education, after teaching thousands of people to sign.

Gaye Hampton, who runs the Newport Sign Language Studies Centre along with her husband Charles, has been revealed as a finalist in the Leadership in Education Award at the national Signature Annual Awards.

The centre also runs a ‘Hush Club’ to provide students of all levels a relaxed and informal setting to practice conversations in sign language. Gaye launched the club to provide students with the opportunity to provide real experiences without disrupting leisure time at deaf clubs.

Gaye, who is a highly respected teacher in the deaf industry, said: “It is an honour to be nominated for this award, and I am very much looking forward to the ceremony in London next January.

“Charles and I started teaching in 2004 as self-employed, delivering deaf and deafblind awareness courses. As our reputation and contacts grew we decided to rent a base for our business. We eventually expanded so much to take on our own premises which has rooms to accommodate teaching, resources, private study and a tea and coffee space.

“Our aim and motto has always been quality over quantity, focussing on the individual students and needs, which has always been at the centre of our teaching. We want to provide opportunities for our students to grow and develop and not just provide a basic tutorial service.”

Gaye, who lives in Torfaen, completed her post-graduate diploma at Durham University in Interpreting in the Deaf Community in 2007. She took the course while running the Newport Sign Language Studies Centre to further her knowledge and understanding of interpreting.

The Newport Sign Language Studies Centre allows students to gain qualifications in Deaf and Deafblind Awareness, Levels 1-6 British Sign Language, Interpreter Training and Diploma and a Translation Diploma Course.

Signature is a deaf and deafblind charity and the leading provider of British Sign Language (BSL) and other deaf and deafblind qualifications in the UK. The charity recently launched its search for the country’s most inspirational people involved in the deaf and deafblind community.

The Signature Annual Awards celebrates people across the UK who are involved in providing a positive impact on the lives of some of the 11 million deaf and hard of hearing people living in the country.

Signature executive director Lindsay Foster said: “We are impressed every year by the amazing stories that are uncovered through our awards and it gives us great pleasure in being able to celebrate the great work that is being done to promote and improve deaf communication across the UK.

“This year, the Signature Annual Awards will focus on ‘educators’, including new and experienced teachers of British Sign Language and teachers of the deaf, groups or individuals in the local community who create exciting learning opportunities for deaf and hearing impaired people, and business people who are improving customer service for deaf and deafblind people through staff training.

“Gaye fits this category perfectly thanks to her dedication to helping thousands of people learn how to sign. We wish her and the other nominees the best of luck in their respective categories.”

All nominees received a complimentary ticket to the awards, which will be held in January 2017 at Prospero House in London.

To find out more information pm Signature and its annual awards please visit www.signatureannualawards.org.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Signature .