Meet Lauren, our new volunteer

My name’s Lauren, and I’m a new volunteer here at MDC! I’ll be volunteering on Reception on Tuesdays, and with the Wellbeing Group on Thursdays.

I started learning BSL when I was in high school, where I attended a Level 1 course in Didsbury, where I grew up. I had a family friend, when I was very young, who used SSE, so I learned some basic signs to communicate with them, but as I didn’t see them all that often I never learned anything beyond basic greetings, food and drink. It seemed so cool to me that there was a whole visual language I’d never heard of, and once I saw interpreters in action on the news, I knew I wanted to become an interpreter one day.

I’ve since passed my Level 3, and worked as a CSW in London for a year or so, but I’ve been living in Japan since then, so I’m trying to get all of my skills back!  

It’s been wonderful getting to meet everybody on Reception and at the Wellbeing Group! Everybody’s been so kind and supportive while I’ve been getting back into signing. It’s also been lovely getting to help out, even if it’s in such a small way as answering the phone or greeting service users at Reception.

I look forward to meeting you all!

L​auren