TLS now Cyber Essentials Plus certified to keep us all safer
Cyber attacks are an ever-growing risk to businesses and individuals, threatening data security and business continuity. At TLS we work hard to ensure that our defences are robust and up to date, and have previously achieved Cyber Essentials accreditation.
We are delighted to have now received Cyber Essentials Plus, an enhanced UK government-backed certification, demonstrating that we are protecting ourselves against common online threats.
What does this mean for you?
- Data security and confidentiality for your client information (such as translations, transcripts, or interpreting records).
- Trust and reassurance that we are adhering to the high standards needed to keep content and personal data safe.
- Reduced risk of disruption to our day to day functions from cyber interference.
TLS Intro – an A-Z to our services
Hot off the presses this month is our brand new info pack for our customers; a one stop guide that will take you through who we are, what we do and how you can get the best from our services.
Whether you’re new to TLS or you’ve been with us for a while, it can be an induction or a handy reference, walking you through every step of the booking process, from deciding whether you need an interpreter right through to a how-to on our booking system.
For your copy, please contact your account manager.
Language fact file: Pashto
Pashto is spoken as a native language in: Afghanistan, Pakistan
Number of native speakers: 45-55 million (according to UNESCO – official statistics can vary)
Learn some: Impress native speakers you are introduced to by saying ‘خوښال شوم په ليدو دی’ (khushala shum pa li do di), which means ‘pleased to meet you’.
Fast facts:
Pashto has a very rich tradition of oral folk poetry, going back thousands of years. This includes a type of poem called a landay, which is a short, spoken poem created by Pashtun women. These now serve as a record of Afghan women’s everyday lives, passed down through generations.
Although Pashto uses the Arabic script, it is very different and has added some of its own characters. To a non-speaker of either language, they look identical!
The language’s vocabulary and grammatical structures tell the story of the Pashtun people’s contact with other cultures and nations of the ancient world, including varieties of ancient Greek, Saka, Parthian, Persian and some northwestern Indian languages, especially the Prakrits, Balochi, and Sindhi.
Your Month Ahead - September
22 – Mabon, Wicca and Pagan
Mabon (pronounced ‘may-bun’) marks the Autumn Equinox, when days and nights are of equal length. It is the height of the harvest season, and for Pagans and Wiccans, signifies the start of the God’s slow decline and (symbolic) death at the festival of Samhain. Mabon is celebrated by gathering seasonal produce for a feast, decorating in autumn colours and taking time to pause and prepare for the coming dark months.
27 – Meskel, Ethiopian Orthodox Christian
This major festival in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church marks the discovery of what its followers believe was the true cross that Jesus was crucified on. It is celebrated with the lighting of a large bonfire, processions accompanied by traditional Ethiopian music and decorations, particularly featuring Meskel daisies, which are in flower. During these celebrations, people dress up in colourful clothing, which represents their own church.
September’s dates at a glance
Religious/cultural
1 – Ecclesiastical Year begins, Orthodox Christian
5 – Mawlid Al-Nabi, Islam
6 – Anant Chaturdashi, Hindu
8 – Feast of the Birth of the Virgin Mary, Christian
8 – Nativity of the Theotokos, Orthodox Christian
14 – Feast of the Cross, Christian
21 – Feast of Saint Matthew, Christian
22 – Mabon, Wicca and Pagan
22 – Sharada Navaratri begins, Hindu
23-24 – Rosh Hashanah, Judaism
25 – Fast of Gedaliah, Judaism
27 – Meskel, Ethiopian Orthodox Christian
29 – Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels, Christian
Awareness and Events
10 – World Suicide Prevention Day
15 – World Afro Day’s ‘Big Hair Assembly’
18 – International Equal Pay Day
21 – World Alzheimer’s Day
22 – Autumn Equinox
22-28 – UK National Inclusion Week
23 – Bi Visibility Day
23 – International Day of Sign Languages
The Linguist's Story - August
Every month, we get to know a bit more about one of our linguists. This month, we introduce you to Wazhma Naveed, an interpreter working in Pashto.
Tell us about the work you do for TLS.
I work as an interpreter at The Language Shop, where I provide interpreting services for clients in various settings such as medical appointments and business meetings. My role is crucial in facilitating effective communication between individuals who speak different languages.
What's been your favourite project at TLS?
My favourite project was interpreting for a social worker who was helping a refugee family navigate the complex process of resettlement in a new country. It was incredibly rewarding to be able to assist in such a meaningful and impactful way, bridging the language barrier and ensuring they received the support they needed.
What has been your biggest challenge?
My biggest challenge is interpreting during crises. During these situations, emotions run high and the pressure to accurately convey information is intense. For example, I had to interpret for a family facing eviction due to a misunderstanding with their landlord. It was challenging to remain calm and focused while translating such sensitive and urgent information. However, I was able to successfully help them negotiate a resolution with their landlord and avoid being displaced from their home. It requires quick thinking and a strong ability to remain calm under stress.
Can you tell us about a time your work has made a difference to someone’s life?
One particular instance that stands out is when I assisted a non-English-speaking patient at a hospital navigate through their treatment options and understand their diagnosis. It was rewarding to see the relief on their faces when they were able to fully comprehend the information being shared with them. My work not only helped alleviate their anxiety but also empowered them to make informed decisions about their health.
Tell us something interesting about you.
I love gardening and planting flowers. My garden is a display of my creativity and love for nature, and I find it to be a therapeutic escape from the stresses of everyday life. In my garden, I grow a variety of flowers and herbs, experimenting with different colours and scents to create a peaceful and beautiful space. Gardening allows me to connect with nature and unwind after a long day, bringing me a sense of joy and fulfilment.
Do you know about Easy Read translation?
What does this mean? Accessibility covers so many different areas, but at its heart just means considering your entire audience and the various barriers they may face in communicating with you.
Easy Read is a method of taking complex information and re-working it into an accessible, easy-to-understand format. This can help learning disabled service users to live more independently and have more agency in decisions about their lives.
The basic guidelines of Easy Read are:
- Text should be broken down into short sentences
- Images should be selected to represent each sentence of text where possible
- Language should be simplified wherever possible, and any necessary complicated words or terms should be explained
- Text should be in a large font size, minimum 14pt
- Text should be presented on A4 pages where possible, as A5 or smaller are not as accessible
- Text should always be aligned on the right hand side of the page, and images should be aligned on the left-hand side of the page
- Complex or ornate fonts or formatting should be avoided
- Design elements should be kept to a minimum so as not to distract from the information.
TLS awarded Customer Service Excellence Standard certificate
We are delighted to report that we have once again been awarded Customer Service Excellence (CSE) certification.
The CSE standard is an evidence-based accreditation, with particular focus on delivery, timeliness, information, professionalism and staff attitude. The audit also scored us on how we manage customer insight, understand the user’s experience and measure service satisfaction.
Of course, the assessor did not just rely on what we said, but also interviewed some of our customers. This gave real insight to the assessors, and to us.
At TLS we ensure to continue to meet the Customer Service Excellence Standard, and we send warm thanks to all customers who provided feedback on our behalf.
Your month ahead - August '25
13-15 – Obon, Buddhist
One of Japan’s most important festivals, Obon is a time when people honour their dead. Because it is believed that, during Obon, ancestors can walk among the living, it is sometimes called Japan’s Day of the Dead. During the festival, many Japanese people will travel to their family homes, clean the graves of loved ones and leave offerings at shrines.
27 – Ganesh Chaturthi, Hindu
Ganesh Chaturthi celebrates the birth of Ganesha, the god of prosperity and wisdom. The festival lasts for ten days, beginning with the mounting of idols of Ganesha, who has the head of an elephant, on homes and other buildings. Then rituals are performed to bring life to the idols, followed by hymns. The idols are decorated with flowers and colourful pastes and given offerings. At the end of the festival, the idols are carried in processions to rivers and immersed.
The festival took on new importance during the late nineteenth century, when British colonisers banned public gatherings. An Indian nationalist leader called Bal Gangadhar Tilak harnessed the support for the previously private, family-based celebrations to unite Indians in the struggle for independence from British rule. It is now seen by many as a key moment in the movement.
August’s dates at a glance
Religious/cultural
1 – Lammas Christian
Lughnasadh, Wicca and Pagan
Fast In Honour of the Holy Mother of the Lord Jesus, Orthodox Christian
3 – Tish’a B’av, Judaism
6 – Feast of Transfiguration, Christian
Transfiguration of The Lord, Orthodox Christian
9 – The 15th of Av, Judaism
Raksha Bandhan, Hindu
10 – Feast of Saint Lawrence, Christian
13-15 – Obon, Buddhist
15 – Arba’een, Islam
Assumption of Mary, Catholic Christian
Dormition of The Theotokos, Orthodox Christian
16 – Krishna Janmashtami, Hindu
21 – Paryushana Parvarambha begins, Jain
22 – Feast of The Queenship of Mary, Catholic Christian
24 – Feast of Saint Bartholomew The Apostle, Christian
Guru Grinth Sahib Jayanti, Sikh
27 – Ganesh Chaturthi, Hindu
28 – Samvatsari, Jain
29 – Beheading of Saint John The Baptist, Christian
Awareness and Events
9 – International Day of The World’s Indigenous People
19 – World Humanitarian Day
22 – International Day Commemorating The Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief
23 – International Day for The Remembrance of The Slave Trade and Its Abolition
language fact file - Finnish
Finnish is spoken as a native language in: Finland, some small parts of Sweden, Norway and Russia.
Number of native speakers: 5 million
Learn some: If you’re stuck in Finland, you might want to ask: ‘Puhutko englantia?’ Which means, ‘do you speak English?’ As with most of Scandinavia, English is widely spoken and you’ll probably be in luck!
Fast facts:
Finland consistently comes out top in the world for happiness. This may be in part because of the Finns’ embrace of an untranslatable word, sisu. This broadly means resilience in the face of adversity.
Finnish is a unique language with no roots in common with its neighbours.
There is a word in Finnish, Kalsarikänni, that translates into English as ‘drinking alone at home in your underwear’. So now you know.
Employee's Story - July
Every month, we get to know a bit more about one of our linguists. This month, for a change, we introduce you to one of the TLS team, Peta Moore.
Tell us about the work you do for TLS.
At TLS I am part of the Ops team who manage the bookings for both spoken languages and non-spoken languages. We also deal with queries over the phone and via email from customers and interpreters. I oversee a lot of the queries and investigate the more complex questions to help maintain great customer service.
What has been your biggest challenge?
My biggest challenge throughout my time at TLS was during COVID: facing the unknown, going through lockdown, battling my own health anxieties whilst making sure service users still had their appointments with their interpreters. It was definitely an eye opener and made me appreciate everything in my personal life and my professional life so much more.
Can you tell us about a time your work has made a difference to someone’s life?
I see all booking types day in and day out with this job, however the bookings that pull at my humanity the most are the appointments where bad news is being broken. I have gone through that process with my mum when she was battling cancer. Having that appointment in a language you are not too familiar with can be daunting, so knowing that I have helped someone get that devastating information in a language they feel most comfortable in warms my heart.
Tell us something interesting about you.
After learning French and Spanish at school, I did my BSL level 1 through TLS just before COVID. During lockdown I tried my hand at Polish but it didn’t stick. During a difficult time with my mental health I needed an outlet to distract my brain. I’d recently discovered a Finnish rapper Käärijä whose lyrics were all in Finnish. I loved the music but wanted to understand the lyrics, so I started to learn Finnish and fell in love with it. I researched Finnish culture and travelled to Finland last year and ventured round Helsinki. Since then I have also picked Dutch back up (I spoke it vaguely as a child) and this year I threw Korean into the mix.
My band are playing in Holland later this year and I hope to visit South Korea in the next year or two! Three very different languages – but I love every second of learning them!