ASLI North-West Regional Meeting Minutes

Thursday 13^th November 2025 7:00pm – 9:00pm

Online - Zoom

Attendees:  

·     Iesha Debenham (ID)

·     Leanne Sneddon (LS)

·     Leanne Wakefield (LW)

·     Jacqui McKinney (JM)

·     Heidi Anderson (HA)

·     Arron Johnson (AJ)

·     Nicola Rothwell (NR)

·     Rebecca Hinks (RH)

·     Tawona Fleming (TF)

·     Liz Smith (LSm)

·     Mike Payne (MP) 

Apologies:

·     Abigail Crook

·     Tracey Keeble

·     Laura Wainwright

·     Nicola Alloway

Disclaimer – to be read out before each meeting

Everything discussed at these meetings is done so in confidence, and we ask that you respectfully keep all information as confidential. Should we need to discuss something that may be a possible conflict of interest to you, we would advise that you remove yourself from the discussion for the duration of that topic. We will advise when the topic in question has concluded and will invite you back into the meeting to avoid any potential issues around conflicts of interest.

1 Check in and Welcome

The disclaimer and declaration of confidentiality was read at the start of the meeting.

    2 Minutes of previous Meeting

Confirmed by LW

3 Action responses

Mostly updates last session – no actions needed

4 TSLIs/Early Career

·     Spotlight a colleague – changing to “thought of the month” – maybe advice, or something that came up that month, tips, information etc - share in the meeting or send to the ASLI committee to be included in the bulletin.

5 Training

• Paul Belmonte – Power Unrecognised is Power Misused – Monday 17^th November. Can book online – Limited Spaces

Power Unrecognised is Power Misused – Managing dynamics in interpreted interactions – With Paul Belmonte | Events | Association of Sign Language Interpreters (ASLI)

• Paul Belmonte – Interpreting In Health Care Settings – Tuesday 9^th December. Can book online – Few spaces remaining

NW – Interpreting in Healthcare Settings | Events | Association of Sign Language Interpreters (ASLI)

• Sign Health Training from the Domestic Abuse Team – on 10^th December 6:30-8:30pm online (Zoom)

Plenty of other workshops available throughout their 16 days of activism – see website for details.

www.signhealth.org.uk/with-deaf-people/domestic-abuse/workshops/

• ASLI AGM Saturday 15^th November 10am – online you can register online here:

AGM 2025 | Events | Association of Sign Language Interpreters (ASLI)

·     On NW regional group – banner will scroll on the webpage with upcoming NW specific training. Make sure you add yourself to the NW group to access this training

·     Request for any more training on work with Deaf interpreters – committee will research. Last time with Ben Gorman.

·     BSL Interpretations – lots of training out now for 2026 – check their website

·     Russell Aldersson – English sessions in the context of using the language. Remote in the evening. “The English Channel” russellaldersson@gmail.com

  6 AGM

ASLI AGM voting is open and will be until tomorrow (Friday 14^th Nov)

Two motions to vote on.

Full motion information here: Motions received for 2025 AGM | News | Association of Sign Language Interpreters (ASLI)

Vote on motions here – View | Page | Association of Sign Language Interpreters (ASLI)

Also, for your information;

2 board members are standing for re-election Tessa Slaughter (Chair) and Vicki Carrabin (Finance).

Board member standing for election Becky Fenton Ree.

Vote here – View | Page | Association of Sign Language Interpreters (ASLI)

·     Discussion of ASLI fee increase – “more than 10%” but actually 38% increase for annual membership – members can vote for or against this prior to the AGM- until Friday 14^th Nov

·     AGM is open for members to attend on Saturday 15^th Nov 10am

 7 Website Updates

·     If anyone isn't a member of the NW group on the website this may be useful – definitely useful to share info from the committee's perspective – at the moment only approx. 70 members are in the group from our 220 NW members

·     go to member's groups on the members page and click NW region then JOIN NOW

·     useful to send updates for CPD and other info that is only accessible by NW members

·     query on how NW members do not get emails saying “NW new member” with the name of the interpreter – is there an opt out option? MY SETTINGS>NOTIFICATIONS>edit here – if further problems, contact the committee and they will query with the website team

·     other groups that may be of interest – Sign Port, menopause group and AI group – some queries about what communication there is – only when logged in or via email etc? Some members have joined and will see how it works

·     Or, you can add your own groups if you wish

8 Dilemmas

 None discussed

9 Updates & 2026 Meetings

·     Monday 12^th January 7-9pm Online

·     Tuesday 10^th March 7-9pm Online

·     Wednesday 20^th May 7-9pm Online

·     Saturday 18^th July Face to face – times and location to be confirmed

·     Thursday 24^th September 7-9pm Online

·     Sunday 6^th December Face to face Brunch meeting – 10am – 12pm meeting with end of year social from 12pm onwards – venue TBC – venue and catering ideas welcome

• 14^th dec – 11^th January will be when the NW committee will be closed – any queries please send before / after these dates

·     Discussion of parallel sessions for like minded people that might benefit mind and body rather than practice specifically, such as an exercise class, book club etc – other interests or ideas welcome!

A.O.B

·     Sign Port update – discussion of what it is and recap for some members

·     Some perceived conflicts of interest of ASLI's involvement as an independent group – board member and Sign Port leader are in a relationship that wasn't disclosed at the introduction of it

·     Lots of questions around how it would work, who would use it, why ALSI are in partnership with some form of online booking system – akin to an agency – that they are then not impartial for, especially considering that there are many other Deaf led organisations that could be backed but aren't

·     More questions than answers regarding the logistics and what and why and how it will be used

·     Feedback that it was going to be pushed through and put in motion and only slowed down with member pushback – which left members feeling out of the loop from the start of it – pushback in the Q&A session wasn't really responded to or weren't clear which caused more confusion

·     The app itself can be subscribed to like any other app or agency for interpreters – the marketing suggests Deaf people can book interpreters on there directly, as well as agencies

·     Lots of questions about the fincanicals and where the money is going – request for more transparency which the committee will feed back.

·     Encourage any members to join the AGM on Saturday and ask the questions directly – TF will be at the AGM and can ask the questions – send any questions to the committee and they will pass onto TF to ask the questions

·     CHRISTMAS – there is a non-ASLI terp night out on 5^th/6^th December (needs clarification) – however, if anyone is available to organise a different date to accommodate anyone that can't go you are welcome to – ASLI committee can circulate the information!

Additional Activity

15^th Nov 25

If time after AOB will discuss a NEWSLI article:

Starter for five: Five Pointers which are useful for early-career sign language professionals, as well as those who have years of experience. Pages 14-15

133 Newsli - FlowPaper FlipBook