Georgina Fisher

Expertise

An RNID member now for over 6 years, I was elected the the RNID Scotland Advisory Group in 2003. For 18 months prior to this, I had actively participate in RNID’s campaign of lobbying the Scottish Executive in support of additional funding to improve audiology services in Scotland. I relish the opportunity to continue serving on the RNID Scotland Advisory Group to sustain their efforts to promote the need for better services and opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing people in Scotland.

Personal interest in RNID

My hearing loss gives me first hand experience of some of the problems experienced every day by deaf and hard of hearing people.

Heather Fisken

Expertise

I am the Senior Disability Equality Duty officer in the Disability Rights Commission in Scotland. I am currently working with the public sector in Scotland, from central government to local authorities, health boards and many others to help them prepare for the new duties on public authorities. I am a past Trustee of RNID and examiner of lipspeakers for CADCP.

Personal interest in RNID

I have been partially deaf most of my life, and profoundly deaf since early adulthood. I want to work with RNID to help develop a wide range of services and functions to ensure that deaf and hard of hearing people are treated fairly equipped to get on with life, just the same as everyone else.

David Irving

Expertise

I am a retired Bank Manager, now working as an assessor for Charity Bank Ltd, which lends funds exclusively to charities. This brings me into touch with a lot of Scottish charities and my experience may be of help to RNID Scotland Advisory Group. I am also on the board of 2 charities, Govan Workspace and Pearce Institute, Govan.

Personal interest in RNID

I have been hard of hearing for most of my life and wear two hearing aids to allow me to continue working. I have been attending a lipreading class at Deaf Connections in Glasgow for over a year but I cannot use BSL.

Bert Smale

Expertise

I was a social worker with deaf people, and worked for voluntary organisations and the local authority before retiring early. I am a qualified sign language interpreter, a tutor of lipreading and a sign language presenter with Grampian TV. I'm currently vice-chair of the management committee of the Scottish course to train tutors of lipreading, and vice-chair of the UK Association of Teachers of Lipreading to Adults.

Personal interest in RNID

I have been profoundly deaf for over 40 years and have had a Hearing Dog for Deaf People.

Andrew Strachan

Expertise

I spent three years at Aberdeen University and one year at the University of Illinois, US, during which time I completed an Honours Mathematics degree. Since then I have worked for the BBC for three years and am now an advisor for the BBC's Accessibility Working Group. In spite of my profound deafness, I have excellent communication skills and am proficient in British Sign Language to Level 2.