I oversee all services at Manchester Deaf Centre (MDC), supporting deaf people of all ages from early years through to adulthood, including children and young people’s services, wellbeing, advocacy, and employment. I also lead on strategic work, representing the views and wishes of the deaf community at local and Greater Manchester panels, and liaising with key stakeholders across the region. I’d be pleased to hear from anyone interested in working together.
I was born severely-profoundly deaf due to a cochlear malformation and enlarged inner ear, which means my hearing loss is progressive and affects my balance. After losing all residual hearing in my right ear, I had a cochlear implant fitted in 2017. I went to mainstream schools and university, and started learning BSL in my 20s when I wanted to connect with other deaf people.
Having faced many of the barriers deaf people experience daily, I’m passionate about creating accessible, safe spaces where deaf people can find information, community, and identity. I wish I’d had the chance to learn BSL as a child and be part of a deaf peer group. That’s why I’m committed to making sure families have access to BSL learning and that deaf children and young people have supportive groups around them.
I’m a qualified Further Education teacher and have worked with several deaf charities including NDCS, RNID, and Deafblind UK, delivering employment and befriending services. I also managed the volunteer programme at The LGBT Foundation. Before joining MDC, I was CEO of Deaf Experience, a West Yorkshire charity supporting deaf young people aged 11–30. I previously served as a trustee at MDC for three years, and I’m proud to now be part of the staff team.
