Our Trustees & Tutors
Keith Simmons MBE, Chairman & Trustee
As well as being Chairman of WDDA, Keith is also President of Bournemouth Deaf Club.
Keith was awarded the MBE in the 2000 New Year’s Honours List for services to deaf people in Bournemouth.
George Raggett, Trustee & Tutor
George is a hearing-impaired tutor and assessor for various courses accredited by Signature.
In 2013, George was regional winner of Signature’s Teacher of the Year Awards.
Donna Cheese, Trustee & Tutor
Donna has been a Trustee for 4 years and is currently completing her BSL Level 6 qualification with support from WDDA. She has acquired a range of skills from her work as an administrator in the NHS and is a qualified dance instructor, enjoying performing in musical theatre. She uses her signing skills as a Communication Support Worker for local college students with special needs and as a leading member of the Significance Signing Choir.
Jas Barley, Trustee & Teaching Support
Jas has recently joined the board of trustees in 2024 but has been deeply involved with all WDDA activities since 2011, including volunteering as a Teaching and Learning Assistant. She is ever present at our events in the community and since 2023 she has hosted our fortnightly Coffee Mornings and Craft Workshops at Bournemouth Deaf Club. One of her many hobbies is baking and there is no shortage of her wonderful cakes at these events. She is highly valued by the trustees, tutors, students and visitors alike.
Louise Allen, Tutor
Louise is a qualified BSL level 6 tutor who has been teaching a variety of courses for us since 2020, from Beginners to Level 3. She also works as a Teaching Assistant supporting Deaf and hard of hearing students in local schools. She has been involved in the delivery of our Bite Sized Deaf Awareness & Communication sessions to NHS staff. She was a founder member of our Signing Choir and features in our tutorials in basic BSL on YouTube that include signed songs.
Lynn Preston, Tutor
Lynn is a fully qualified teacher of 15 years of experience of teaching Sign Language courses from Introductory sessions up to Level 2 for WDDA and local Adult and Community Learning providers. She also works part time as a Nurse Practitioner in Royal Bournemouth Hospital Eye unit and uses her knowledge of both sight and hearing loss in successfully delivering Deaf and Deaf Blind Awareness and Communication Tactics courses.
Amber Blaney, Tutor
Amber is a recently qualified tutor who since 2020 has been teaching; Introductory BSL courses for 6th Form students in local schools, running a weekly conversation class in Poole and assisting in the delivery of our Level 2 qualification course at Bournemouth Deaf club. She is also regularly involved in teaching at our BSL workshops and delivering bite sized sessions in Deaf Awareness and Communication to local organisations, including NHS staff.
Helen Steel, Teaching Support
Helen is a highly valued Teaching and Learning Assistant supporting our tutors and students on Level 1 & 2 courses since 2014, having achieved her BSL level 3 qualification with WDDA.
Kelly Gammans, Teaching Support
Kelly is a highly valued Teaching and Learning Assistant supporting our tutors and students on BSL Level 1 courses and workshops since 2022. She also works with the Dorset Council Sight and Hearing team, supporting members of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community with daily living.
Caroline Watton, Teaching Support
Caroline, joining us in 2023, is the newest member of our team of tutors, currently working alongside a mentor in delivering Introductory BSL courses to a group of 6th Form students at one local school and a class of year 6 children at another. As a Child of Deaf Adults (CODA) she has a lifetime of experience in using Sign
Language and deep knowledge of Deaf Culture. She is also a fully qualified Early Years Practitioner.
David Younger, Teaching Support
David is a prominent member of the local Deaf Community who has been supporting our Tutors and Learners on our BSL Level 1, 2 & 3 courses at Bournemouth Deaf Club since 2020 and recently worked alongside a mentor helping to deliver an introductory BSL course to year 6 children at a local school.
Join our Board of Trustees
Wiltshire and Dorset Deaf Association are on the look out for Trustees. If you’re over the age of 16, passionate about empowering Deaf people to play a full part in their communities and willing to give up some of your time on a voluntary basis we’d love to hear from you. Email us at admin@wdda.co.uk for more information.
