TLS Team Highlights 2022
Over the year we have introduced interpreters and TLS staff, finding out more about the work and social lives of those who work with you every day. Here we revisit a selection of our replies…
February
Jacky Ashton, Service Coordinator for the TLS On Demand Team, revealed her full title of Lady Jacqueline Ashton in our profile piece. Jacky owns the title and a small plot of land in Scotland, which she describes as ‘the size of a carpet tile’!
March
Sumayyah Aleem, one of our highly rated freelance interpreters working in English, Punjabi and Urdu, brought home the real impact of our work when she told us how, during a project, she felt ‘very satisfied and happy when a broken family was reunited. The young children were back together from foster care.’
April
Stephanie Bright, Resource and Compliance Manager, shared a family secret recipe with us, which might come in handy this Christmas! When talking about who she would like to meet, she said: ‘My grandma. Unfortunately she never met my son, so would love that and to also enjoy her Yorkshire puddings again. She made them [on the hob] like pancakes and they were the best!’
May
Omead Hussain, another highly sought-after interpreter, working freelance in English, Arabic and Kurdish, also highlighted the human side of his work, describing his favourite project with TLS: ‘The project was aimed to produce videos that explain [in the most common community languages] the various social care procedures for children in care, unaccompanied asylum seekers and the parents of children being reviewed by children’s social care services.’
July
Bailey (aka Bee) Sage, TLS Graduate Projects Executive, reminded us of the strange days of 2020 when she told us: ‘In the first COVID lockdown, I shaved my head completely in the spur of the moment. It was truly the most liberating feeling and made for a beautiful, hassle-free summer.’
August
Helga C, a brilliant interpreter working in English and Portuguese, gave us another insight into the life-changing work our interpreters are doing: ‘My favourite project at Language Shop was interpreting with Shelter. Really felt that I was supporting people at very vulnerable times in their lives while they’re going through homelessness, distress and mental affliction.’
October
Mandy Lloyd, one of the TLS bookings team, treated us all to some great stories, and her plans for the coming year sound like a great way to cope with rising food prices: ‘In the next 12 months I would like to turn a strip of land my son has given me into an allotment. Now is the time to start digging and preparing for next year and I hope to grow enough food and flowers for the family. I’ve grown plenty in the garden this year but I’m looking forward to doing this on a much bigger scale.’
November
Shaun Hunsley, one of our in-demand freelance BSL interpreters, rounded off 2022’s profiles with some more great stories: ‘I was booked to interpret for a party that the late Queen of England was throwing in Buckingham Palace. It was an incredible evening. Then sadly I was part of the interpreting team booked for her funeral, it was an honour and a privilege to do both.’
If you would like to be profiled in 2022, or know someone else who would, please get in touch by emailing zainub.patel@newham.gov.uk