I am a social entrepreneur and consultant who has built up and sold small businesses.

My Fellowship was based on the usage of emergent technology (video calling) in dismantling communication barriers for those of us using sign language, mainly British Sign Language (BSL), especially in telecommunications and reducing isolation for Deaf people living in remote or rural areas.

Its key purpose was to achieve a reduction in the average waiting time for a BSL interpreter from 2-6 weeks down to less than a minute via the webcam and a specialised video-calling platform.

During my tenure at the British Deaf Association as their first Deaf CEO, I met deaf people living in rural and remote areas who have experienced extreme disadvantages due to the lack of sign language access. I also noted that the best BSL interpreters have been booked weeks in advance by Deaf professionals, leaving other Deaf people wanting for a competent BSL interpreter.

My Fellowship enabled me to procure best practices and hit the ground running by establishing the UK's first specialised video relay service (VRS), which is still running today.