Judith Armer
Born in Lancashire, Judith attended a school for the partially-sighted in Preston. In her teens she was a keen swimmer and, as a member of the Preston Swimming Club, narrowly missed out on a place to trial for the county team. She worked as a Senior Care Assistant for Lancashire Care Services and achieved her NVQ Level 3 in Direct Care. In 2004 she moved to Carlisle and is presently learning Braille and undertaking a computer course at DeafVision Learning Centre in Carlisle. As a Trustee, Judith feels that she can bring her experience and help improve things for the Deafblind in the community.

Roy Benzie
Born in Scotland Roy has lived the greater part of his life south of the border in Carlisle. Trained at Edinburgh College of Art he has been a self-employed graphic designer since 1959, after completing two years' National Service in the Royal Air Force. Roy worked alongside the British Deaf Association (when it was based in Carlisle) for many years, helping them to produce the Dictionary of British Sign Language and other publications. He now supports DeafVision Information Service with the production of their publications and has recently joined the Trustee Board.

Roger Bingham
Roger has been a Cumbria County Council representative on the Board since 1997 and a Trustee since 2003. Formerly a senior teacher, he is a professional writer and historian and a Church of England Lay Reader. Currently Roger is a member of the County Council Cabinet, and a long-serving South Lakeland District Councillor and Parish Councillor for Milnthorpe where he was born. Roger is keen to strengthen DeafVision work in South Cumbria.

Stephanie Stables
Stephanie, who has a slight hearing loss, joined the Board in November 2004. Born in Whitehaven she has a degree in Deaf Studies with Education from the University of Central Lancashire.
In 2001, Stephanie joined DeafVision on a six-month work placement and carried out a general satisfaction survey for each of their services. The aim of the research was to evaluate the services provided by DeafVision and to help the Association develop them further. She enjoys spending time with family and friends and going to the gym when she can be bothered!

John Denerley
John was born deaf as were his mother, father, sister and brother. He is married to Kathryn who is partially deaf and whom he met at a British Deaf Association Conference in Brighton. Together they own and manage ‘Galloway Wildlife Conservation Park’, near Kirkcudbright in Dumfries and Galloway. They have three hearing sons. John originally worked as a Social Worker and was Team Manager of the Sensory Team in the city of Stoke on Trent. His passion for the welfare and conservation of animals began when he worked as a volunteer at Chester Zoo. Later he ran a small wildlife sanctuary and nature reserve in Staffordshire before realising his dream to own his own wildlife park.   Keen to promote tourism within the Dumfries and Galloway region, John has supported the Dumfries and Galloway Tourist Board and Visitor Attraction Forum. 

Paul Fearn - Treasurer
Born in Lichfield, Staffordshire Paul and his wife, Stephanie, moved to Cumbria in 1969. Previously he had graduated from the University of Manchester with a degree in Economics and Politics and worked in East Anglia. In Cumbria Paul worked with Cumbria County Council in Economic Development before moving to be Chief Executive of Carlisle and West Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, until the implementation of changes in 2002. His interests include sport (particularly cricket), current affairs and the environment.

Trevor Hughes
Trevor lives with his wife and daughter Jennifer, who is deaf, in Kendal and is very active in pursuing all things pertaining to the deaf community. In August 2000 he helped to form the 'Friends of Kendal Deaf Centre' and has been the chairman ever since. Its aim is to raise funds and promote deaf awareness throughout the area. The group has raised thousands of pounds to upgrade the centre, including a large conservatory.

Sue Mowat

Sue lives were her husband,Iain, in Dumfries and they have two grown up children. Born into a deaf family she grew up in the deaf community in Dumfries and classes BSL as her first language. After working as a Social Worker with Dumfries and Galloway Council she retrained as a Sign Language Interpreter and qualified from Moray House College - now part of Edinburgh University, in 1981. She has worked as an interpreter with the Council for the past 26years

A founder member of Scottish Association of Sign Language Interpreters, Sue is also the longest serving SLI in Scotland.  Her involvement with the Dumfries and Galloway Deaf Society began when her parents took her along to club nights and outings. Later she became a committee member, " I am delighted that we now have a strong formal connection with colleagues across the border" says Sue.  Her hobbies include reading, walking, travelling and going to the cinema and theatre.

Steve Pollard
Having spent 26 years working in the North of England for Barclays Bank, Steve first became involved with DeafVision when he moved to the Carlisle branch. His interest in deafness stems from his sister and her husband who are profoundly Deaf Sign Language users. His early involvement was as Treasurer for the Association, but in 2000 he accepted voluntary redundancy from the bank, who agreed to sponsor him when he applied for a job with DeafVision. In all Steve did five years with their support as Strategic Development Officer before reluctantly moving on to become Director at South Lakeland Carers Association.

Janice Thompson, Vice Chair

Rev. Monica Webster
Monica has been profoundly deaf since she was five. As an occupational therapist she was involved in working with people who were D/deaf and people with disabilities in their own homes - particularly in relation to the provision of equipment. A committed vicar she now works with the Ministry for the Deaf in the county and is in close touch with the Barrow Deaf Centre. She was previously chaplain in Coventry and Birmingham.

Norma Wilkinson, Chairperson
Born Deaf, Norma left Carlisle at the age of three to attend a residential school for the Deaf in Manchester. Later she attended college there to do a secretarial course before later returning to Carlisle and working at Ferguson Brothers Ltd, Denton Holme. Norma left work in order to raise a family with husband, Howard, to whom she has been married for 38 years. When the children were grown up she returned to work with the British Deaf Association and travelled widely meeting and working in the deaf community all over the U.K. Following BDA's move to London she joined the staff at DeafVision and trained as a British Sign Language tutor in Durham. Now retired, she enjoys her involvement as Chairperson to the Board, but especially time spent with her family.