Hello! I hope you are well? My name is Peter Kendall. I am a native deaf BSL user from birth. Ah! I forgot to add, I recently joined SignVideo. My role is in IT, I support interpreters, customers, and I also support staff internally aswell. I love my job!

So now, I will tell you a bit about me and my background. When I was younger, I worked as a qualified chef, an outreach worker, centre manager at Sunderland Deaf Centre. Along with this, I have various work experience. I also did voluntary work with local Derby deaf groups. I supported with various things, including health and the local council. I was also a governor and became Vice Chair at a deaf school in Derby, one responsibility was to ensure safeguarding in the school.

I was also the joint chair at Action Deafness, based in Leicester. During my volunteering time, I wasn’t in work. I was raising my children with my wife. Later on in life, I became a mature student at University.

All my life, I’d had an interest in IT. I graduated with a First Class degree from Sheffield Hallam. I believe I am the first deaf student to get a First Class. I am not sure, I could be wrong. If I am, let me know! Looking back, it was challenging that I got my degree, whilst looking after 5 children with my wife. Don’t ask me how I did it! Haha! So, you can tell, working in IT and being involved with the community, are two passions of mine.

I love to give back. I love engaging with people from all backgrounds, because my vision is a barrier free world. That’s one of the reasons I got involved with IT and the community. Which I value so much. I hope that my experiences can bring ideas to the advisory group. A few weeks ago (July 11 2023), we had our first meeting. We’re all in the same boat and hold the same passion. We all want barriers to be removed for deaf people in all areas of life. I look forward to continuing to work with the group, sharing our issues along the journey with the deaf together campaign.