Sandra Gee

I have thought about learning sign language at various times since I was a teenager - which feels like a very long time ago now - but I never quite got round to it... Then I had a serious ear infection that resulted in permanent damage on one side. The tests I had to determine the level of damage also showed that I have noise induced hearing loss, and was missing some of the range that allows me to hear normal speech on both sides. Probably explains why people sometimes thought I was in a world of my own or ignoring them, I simply couldn't hear them talking! The lockdown has given me the perfect opportunity to sign up to the introductory BSL course and I am working my way through it, slowly. I'm hoping that learning BSL will not only help me communicate with friends and family etc as I grow older and I suffer further hearing loss, but also help me to build and manage more diverse and inclusive teams in the workplace.