Signature 2013 Regional winners announced

Today Signature 2013 Regional winners were announced and PDDCS people are among the winners.

In 2011 Tara won 'Young Learner of the Year'. Last year Tara started teaching for a local BSL company. She has clearly made an impression with her teaching abilities as this time she has been selected as East of England Teacher of the Year. Well done!

This year Andy Palmer, PDDCS committee member was shortlisted and has won East of England 'Learner of the Year'. Well done!

Look, it's Tara in the Mirror!

Member Tara Forkin made it into the national press as the Daily Mirror reported on the row about the fall in GCSE results for deaf children following cuts to education budgets across the country.

Fortunately in Peterborough there are no cuts reported at the moment and Tara tells the paper how well she has been supported. Long may it continue. Coming in for particular praise is the Teacher of the Deaf and the support received in class. Tara said:

“I definitely would not have achieved my grades without the support put in place for me,” said Tara, of Peterborough.

“My Teacher of the Deaf was very in tune with my needs and the areas I needed to brush up on in revision sessions, I’m really lucky to have such a fantastic teacher of the deaf.”
Tara says she loves having extra support with her lessons as it stops her from having the extra burden of worrying she has missed something or having to clarify points discussed after every lesson.

“She is able to get this support because she has a statement of special educational needs, which stipulates that she must have support from a Teacher of the Deaf to advise on use of equipment and a Teaching Assistant.

She added: “Deaf children face many challenges in school, every day. Classrooms are noisy and there are no allowances made for this. I would ask the Government not to make cuts to deaf children’s services. Deaf children cannot progress without support in school, it’s that simple.”

Full story here

Review of 2012: Award Winners

In the first part of a series of posts looking at PDDCS achievements in 2012, first up we look at award winners. 2012 saw three of our number receive awards for their outstanding contribution.

Legend John Recognised
At the PDDCS Fun Day back in May, outgoing President John Cheetham was awarded with a specially inscribed tankard from PDDCS to recognise his contribution to our society for over 20 years. John still remains on the committee and focuses on projects including Music and the Deaf.

Stephen's award

In June, Youth member Stephen Sear was commended for his excellence on work experience at Crighton's Car dealership in Peterborough. He was able to apply the knowledge he gained from his motor vehicle course during an award winning two-week work experience period.


High Q TQ
In July, PDDCS Committee member and website writer TQ,won the award for Best Support for Children with Special Needs at a glitzy ceremony at the Key Theatre in Peterborough. TQ was recognised by the local authourity for her work and in typical TQ style, she shared the credit: "This award is great but I have to pay tribute to my fantastic team who do so much too. I see this as an award for us all. Not to mention the fantastic children who make it all worthwhile" she said.

Golding Standard

Then in October, PDDCS member and volunteer Chyanne Golding won Deaf Teen of the Year for the Cambridgeshire area. Chyanne was presented with the award at the Moving On Event in Cambridge.  She won the award for her outstanding contribution. This is what they said about her: "She has been an inspiration to her mainstream peers as well as many children and adults (both deaf and hearing)." 

Tara is a leader
Finally in December, another one of our youth members and volunteers, Tara Forkin was recognised for her outstanding leadership and support for other students at the Jack Hunt School which she attends.

At the award ceremony she was was recognised for her work with students and other activities that include completion of a Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award and assisting at the Disability Sports Club and Disability Sports fixtures. Well done to all the award winners!

Next up: 2012 Famous Faces.

Tara Forkin wins school leadership award

PDDCS Youth member Tara Forkin has won another award. Barely a year after being crowned Signature's Young Learner of the Year, Tara collected the Chris Hilliard Leadership Shield which is awarded to the student who has made the most significant contribution to the leadership of other students.

Tara attends the Jack Hunt School's Sixth Form where the presentation took place on the 20th December. Joining her for the awards ceremony were her mother Fiona, Dad John and sister Niamh along with hundreds of other students, teachers and family members.

Tara's awesome contribution is detailed below:

The award citation in full

The Chris Hilliard Leadership Shield goes to the student who has made the most significant contribution to the leadership of other students. 
The reason is long, as it reflects the outstanding achievement of this year’s recipient. As an active volunteer and Youth Committee member in the Peterborough and District Deaf Children’s Society - she is actively involved in their DT enterprise project and many other events. She has achieved a Level 3 NVQ Certificate in British Sign Language and now supports - not only students at Jack Hunt School, but also hearing adults in the local community - by tutoring the Level One BSL Certificate and was recognised by Signature as their “Young Learner of the Year”.

In the past, she has represented students on the school’s Student Council, as well as the local community and the National Deaf Children’s Society at Parliament and The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures - as well as being involved in the recent National Deaf Awareness Campaign ‘Look Smile Chat’.

Other leadership activities include mentoring other deaf students at Jack Hunt School - through their Cochlear Implant rehabilitation and in their in-school speech and listening lessons. Completion of a Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award and assisting at our Disability Sports Club and Disability Sports fixtures including The Youth Games Plus, helping to develop links with other secondary schools and she is at the moment being a wonderful role model for all our students. She has recently completed a Sky Dive with two other deaf students - raising over £3,000 for charity.

This year’s award goes to our current Deputy Head Girl…..Tara Forkin.

From all at PDDCS, a sincere thank you and a huge well done to Tara for another fantastic achievement.   

Charlie and Ted dazzle Peterborough

Ted meets Jamie McCullough

It was a night to remember for those at the John Clare Theatre in Peterborough's city centre on Friday as Ted Evans and Charlie Swinbourne shared their stories of how they made thier careers in film making, script writing and journalism.

Intertwined with the fascinating and inspiring stories were specially made video clips from Ted and captivating examples of Charlie's film making work including 'My Song' and 'Four Deaf Yorkshiremen'. Ted gave glimpses of his award winning film 'The End' and revealed how he put together the film for the opening ceremony of the London Paralympic Games.

It was revealed at the end of the evening that Ted and Charlie have agreed to work as consultants on a potential PDDCS film project and that two deaf actors have also agreed to come down and help any budding deaf actors or actresses from Peterborough learn how to do it. Add to that PDDCS have also got the support of the BSLBT (British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust) to develop a film in readiness for Deaffest 2013 and everything is in place for PDDCS's first film! Keep an eye on PDDCS news for updates.

I would like to thank Jack Hunt School for their funding of the evening and Teresa Quail for her efforts in organising the night. Finally - thanks to Ted and Charlie for an outstanding evening - it was an evening we won't forget. Poigniantly the evening ended with the final sequence from Ted's film 'From us to you'.

Charlie meets Jamie too - Jamie made his own film and is a potential storyboard creator

Andy Palmer with Ted and Charlie

Charlie asks for Tara Forkin's autograph

Charlie and Ted take the questions at the end (and maybe about The End)

Charlie looks on at one of Ted's captivating custom made clips for the event

In conversation - Charlie looks impressed as Ted tals about his film making roots



Andy shows Ted and Charlie his biceps

TLM

As if by magic ... He's got a winning smile that lad Calum..

Mo shows how to groom the perfect beard.

Ted and Charlie get the attention they deserve from the audience

Calum = cool



Andy: Can we all stop chatting and get on with the show? 

 

Ted, Charlie and some aspiring film makers..

TLM's £3,000 Sky Dive Pictures are here!

Ever so slightly excited .. The Three Little Midgets (TLM) all smiles after suiting-up.

There's the plane that the TLM will jump from - someone check the oil, would ya? 

Doesn't matter how much you flap - the parachute is the only way down if you like breathing ... 

TLM (Katie Bocking, Chyanne Golding and Tara Forkin) inside the cafe with helmets, goggles and parachutes on. Time for a last minute burger? 

Is she saying 'GOAL' or 'NOOO!'? My lipreading isn't all that good. Anyway - who scored?

Oil..check .. Petrol ... Check .. Propeller .. Check .. TLM .. Check .. Parachutes .. Check ..
Three Grand? .. Cheque! Get up the there girls!

No turning back now .. so  I guess it's time to push some scenery past the windows .. and then the girls out of the door. 

On the way down now .. Impossible to tell which one this is but its one of them, I promise.  Even if I did know which one it was, if I told you, I'd have to kill you.

Back in the war days, there was a saying .. Don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes .. camera's these days have wonderful zoom lenses and stuff though - although you wouldn't know it from the last two pictures.

Ah that's better .. here comes .. er, one of them! It's my age. Eyesight ain't what it used to be. If you can make it out - leave    your suggestion in the comments and I'll update it after my nap. 

A midget has landed and bought £3,000 with her. 

Back on terra-firma (that means solid earth in Latin) and the TLM with their experts face the cameras and the adoring friends and family who, to be frank, think these three girls are awesome. Their bravery is gonna put plenty of smiles on deaf children's faces this year. 

The 3 Little Midgets did it!!!

The weather cleared long enough today to allow the '3 Little Midgets' to sky dive. An inspirational event. Vital funds raised for the charity. Good on you ladies!!! Video footage to follow soon.

PDDCS Skydive update

Deaf Awareness week is fast approaching (7-13 May) and 3 members of the PDDCS are off to a flying start and jumping right in with their SkyDive on Saturday 5th May.

All welcome to view the 3 very brave young ladies (Katie, Tara & Chyanne); especially Chyanne - it will be her first time on a plane!

Should you wish to donate follow this link

Location link
PDDCS Skydive Update

Youth members to skydive for charity

PDDCS members Chyanne Golding, Katie Bocking and Tara Forkin have themselves decided to follow in the footsteps of volunteers Chris Majid and Charlene 'Shorty' Spires by jumping from a plane on the 5th May to raise important funds for PDDCS. To see what it involves check out these links http://www.pddcs.co.uk/2011/07/signing-at-13000-feet.html and http://www.pddcs.co.uk/2011/07/watch-chris-majids-skydive.html

Sponser links will be available soon

Skydive Sponsor

Tara Forkin Makes It To The Front Page

Winner of the Signature Young Learner of the Year Award and our member, Tara Forkin, has made the front page of the Irish World Newspaper who have shared her remarkable achievement with the Irish community in the UK. Well done Tara!


IRW01.10.12

IRW03.10.12

Tara Forkin Wins National BSL Award

She did it! Youth Group Member Tara Forkin wins the Young Learner of the Year Award at a prestigious award ceremony in London tonight hosted by national sign language authourity, Signature.

Tara became one of the youngest students, when aged only 15, to attain her Level 3 NQV in BSL.

Well done to Tara on a well deserved award. We are all proud of you.

Pictured: Tara with the Award and at home

A Level Students Flying Visit

By Tara Forkin

A level studies can be fun. Chyanne, Katie and Tara enjoyed a flying visit to Duxford.

They were engaged by David Coates’ talk on the ‘Future Agenda ‘and marvelled by David Andrews talk on the ‘Electronic Bat’. The dynamic hands on workshops were fun too. 

If you want to know more about A level studies, product design or flying things talk to the girls.

Picture: Tara, Chaynne and Kate and the American Air Museum at Duxford

PDDCS on BBC See Hear .. Watch Now

Check this out - see how many PDDCS Youth Group Members you can spot in this edition of BBC's See Hear Programme. The show went to Cambridge to report on the Moving On event which helps teenagers decide what to do once the school bell rings for the last time..

Tara Forking talks at length (pictured second left) about getting information about going to University and shows why she might be receiving for an award soon..

They're on right from the start in the programme intro and then the feature starts 11 minutes in..

Watch here..

Chilli Challenge At Nando's

PDDCS had a half-term meet-up and meal at Nando's in Peterborough on Tuesday. About 25 people attended and had a great time enjoying the food and fun.

Three of our Youth Group Members, Chyanne, Tara and Katie tried out the hottest chilli sauce!



Thanks to all who attended .. next up is the Big Sky event

Tara Forkin in contention for national sign language award

Pitcure: Peterborough Today.co.uk

PDDCS Youth Group member Tara Forkin is in line for a major national award after being among the youngest ever to attain the advanced BSL level three qualification. The Evening Telegraph has the full story.

Tara, now 16, also made the news a few years back when she went London to address parliament.. Another trip to London beckons now - we hope she gets the vote this time. 

Signature are the national organisation responsible for sign language development and qualifications. They will be holding the ceremony  on November 18th. 

Tara's dedication stands out - well done Tara and thank you for all you do for PDDCS! Good Luck!