Deaf Business Academy provide support to deaf entrepreneurs. Here are the winners and runners up from the 2018 awards ceremony.
Best UK Deaf Business
WINNER Queesra & King Boutique
Queesra & King are bespoke dressmakers and tailors based in Neston, Cheshire. The boutique’s directors and staff are deaf, and other tailors in the area often send work to the boutique to be completed. They accept work experience students from local schools to give them a taste of what a job in fashion design can be like.
RUNNER UP Teach Me Sign
Teach Me Sign provide BSL courses and Deaf Awareness workshops. The founder Ahmed has been profoundly deaf since birth, and aims to break communications barriers between deaf and hearing people. He started his business aged 25 with his own money – no loans.
Outstanding Contribution
WINNER Support The Deaf People
Support The Deaf People provide basic BSL and Deaf Awareness courses for the hotel and hospitality industry. Founder Ruthy Fletcher set up the business following her stay in a hotel – as a deaf person, she hadn’t known the fire alarm was going off until a firefighter came to her room to help her out of the building. She teaches basic BSL signs to hotel staff, and raises awareness of health and safety and accessibility issues for deaf guests.
RUNNER UP Remark! Community
Remark! Community offer various projects for the deaf community in London. They aim to promote access and inclusion for all deaf people: from sports clubs to ensure deaf people lead active and social lives, to lunch clubs for older deaf people to socialise and receive access to services in BSL, and play schemes and youth clubs for deaf children to enable them to have deaf role models.
Best Business Start-Up
WINNER Deaf4Deaf
Deaf4Deaf are the first in the UK to offer deaf-led online video counselling and psychological therapy services. The team are made up of deaf BSL or SSE counsellors and hearing people with a Level 6 in BSL, who provide private and NHS counselling around the UK. Their website provides a BSL or written form of self-assessment for enquires, and offers a free 30 minute introductory session.
RUNNER UP Yumma Food
Yumma Food are a social enterprise based in Barnwood, Gloucestershire, which offers employment to deaf people to provide catering for corporate and private events. Yumma Food also uses BSL to educate deaf people about nutrition.
Outstanding Development
WINNER Queesra & King Boutique
Queesra & King were also the winners of Best UK Deaf Business.
RUNNER UP Support The Deaf People
Support The Deaf People were the winners of Outstanding Contribution.
Best Creative Development
WINNER Angel & Teresa’s Handcrafted Goods
Angel & Teresa’s Handcrafted Goods make personalised items: as a gift to someone else or yourself! Angel and Teresa are two crafty deaf women from Hockley, Essex, who restore old items and ‘can make any old item feel brand new again.’ They also make beautiful and personal photo frames and greetings cards.
RUNNER UP Magician Alex Jobson
Alex Jobson is a deaf magician, and has, over 15 years, become one of the most sought-after magicians in Newcastle and the North East. His amazing tricks never fail to impress at parties, weddings and corporate events: even residencies where he regularly performs.
