Meet the Volunteer Co-ordinators who have recently joined the Deaffest team: Rachel Radford and Alexy Dury!
Some of you may remember Rachel as she was the Volunteer Coordinator for Deaffest 2022. It’s great to have her back!
Rachel is a qualified freelance BSL interpreter based in Birmingham. As a previous Deaffest volunteer, Rachel is thrilled to have been invited to join the festival team as a Volunteer Coordinator for 2024. She is looking forward to meeting the 2024 volunteers and working with them to ensure that Deaffest runs smoothly and is enjoyable for all involved!
Outside of interpreting, Rachel has been a governor at a local primary school since 2020, is on the Association of Sign Language Interpreters (ASLI) board, sings in the City of Birmingham choir, and has recently started kickboxing classes. She also completed an MA in interpreting in 2023, and is married with two children.
We are absolutely thrilled to have both Ashley and Damaris joining us at Deaffest 2024 and hosting the Film & TV Awards Gala!
Ashley Kendall embarked on a dynamic career in the media at the age of 18, starting as a TV Researcher and steadily advancing to the role of Director/Producer. In addition to their off-screen work, Ashley enjoys on-screen appearances as an actor and presenter, notably on CBeebies’ Magic Hands.
Transitioning into the realm of Business Development, Ashley progressed to the role they serve today as the Director of International Business Development at Sorenson. In this capacity, Ashley devises strategies, shapes global initiatives, and builds partnerships that drive the company’s growth and impact.
Deeply passionate about the deaf community, Ashley has served on the board of the British Deaf Association for 8 years, and is now a very proud Governor at Heathlands School.
Married to Hannah and residing in the vibrant city of London, Ashley finds joy in both their personal and professional endeavours. As a steadfast supporter of Deaffest, Ashley is deeply honored to serve as the Master of Ceremonies alongside Damaris, contributing to a celebration of deaf culture that resonates worldwide.
A woman with a real zest for life, Damaris is rarely seen without a smile (and a beer!). Having worked for various deaf charities over the years, accessibility has become her passion. Her current role as a Business Development Manager enables her to educate services/organisations on deaf awareness and give them solutions to enable them to become more inclusive and accessible to the deaf BSL community. She also works as a BSL presenter for TNT Sports mainstream football programme, Sign Up, interviewing Premier League players and managers – it’s a hard life (!)
Outside work, sport has been a lifelong obsession of hers, where she was always trying to keep up with her two older brothers. She also captained GB Deaf Women at three Deaflympics, winning two bronzes in the process. She may be retired but is still naturally competitive in social sports…oh and at board games too.
Please be aware of online scammers selling tickets for Deaffest 2024, including individuals that are offering to give you their tickets, etc.
Ensure that you buy your tickets from our official ticketing platform: https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/event/deaffest-2024
You will need to use your email confirmation for proof of purchase when attending the festival.
If you are planning on buying ticket(s) from someone else, be sure that the person is exactly who they say they are before going through with the purchase.
Deaffest 