Interpreting services
Meadow Interpreting provides British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters and BSL/Intralingual Relay Interpreters (Deaf Relay) throughout the UK. We work within a wide range of domains, for example, Legal, Community, Mental Health, Media, Medical, and many more.
We ensure the use of appropriately qualified and highly skilled Interpreters for each booking that we undertake to ensure the smooth and effective flow of communication.
We know exactly what support our clients need because we are experts with over 10 years of knowledge and care in providing an efficient and professional service. We offer a high-quality personal touch bridging the right support between clients and service users.
All British Sign Language Interpreters and Deaf Relay Interpreters we use are freelance. They must be NRCPD or similar registered, DBS checked, and follow the NRCPD code of conduct including dealing with confidential information. Trainee interpreters wear a purple badge and qualified BSL Interpreters wear a yellow badge. All Interpreters’ badges are renewed annually through their registering body.
Deaf Awareness Training workshops
We offer bespoke Deaf awareness training courses ranging from an hour long to a full day. These can include British Sign Language sessions. Please contact us to discuss your needs and we will do whatever we can to help.
Continuous Professional Development (CPD) courses
Meadow Interpreting aims to support trainee and qualified all communication support including Sign Language Interpreter, Lipspeakers, Palantypists, etc to develop their knowledge and skills.
The CPD courses we offer are stimulating, enjoyable and educational – relevant to your roles and workplace environments. All trainers we use have backgrounds in the interpreting industry or in the Deaf community.
The courses we offer are both face to face and online when appropriate for learning development.
Please contact us If you do wish to be added on our mailing list for future CPD courses.
Advocacy Services
Meadow Interpreting has an in-house advocate, who has over 10 years of experience in advocacy support, covering the whole of England. The advocacy service is independent and confidential. We aim to support clients who are facing difficult issues, to help people to understand their rights, and to make their voices heard.
If you require our advocacy service, please contact your local council to make a referral.
We operate a text mobile out-of-hours service and we deal the bookings via email at hello@meadowinterpreting.co.uk and eventbrite booking
Freelance interpreters, if you would like to register with us, please contact us.
Glossary of communication support
British Sign Language (BSL) Interpreters
BSL interpreters transfer meaning from one spoken or signed language into another signed or spoken language. They use their skill and knowledge of the two languages, and their understanding of cultural differences, to convey a message.
BSL Relay/ Intralingual Interpreters (Deaf Relay)
The role of a relay interpreter is to receive the message from the BSL Interpreter and relay the message to the deaf person in a manner that is appropriate to the deaf person’s needs. Relay/intralingual interpreters are deaf professionals that work with deaf people who have specific or complex language needs, such as a learning disability, mental health condition, idiosyncratic or non-standardised sign language use, or limited language development.
A BSL Interpreter would not be able to sign to a deaf person with additional needs, as communication is different from formal sign language taught in colleges and universities. The deaf relay will be highly skilled and trained to reformulate the language using their experience as a deaf person to truly understand the deaf person’s perspective.
It is important to note here, that to book a BSL relay interpreter you will also need to book a BSL Interpreter as the deaf relay will need an interpreter too.
Sign Language Translator
Sign Language Translators, translate written text from one language into another. Most often this will be written English into a signed language for broadcasting or online distribution.
Speech to Text Reporter (STTR)
Speech to Text Reporters uses a phonetic keyboard to immediately show spoken words on a monitor or screen for real-time communication. They provide a complete transcription of spoken words and include notes of environmental sounds, like laughter and applause.
Interpreter for deafblind people
Interpreters for deafblind people use manual communication to enable deafblind people to understand, participate and interact. The interpreter also relays visual and other non-verbal information, for example, reactions to what has been said, the movement of other people, and what they are doing.
Lip Speaker
Lip-speakers repeat spoken messages for deaf/deafened people who can lipread but do not use sign language. Lip-speakers ensure clear communication in critical situations, or when there is more than one voice to follow; they use facial expressions, natural gestures, and fingerspelling to support communication.