About CODA UK and Ireland
CODA UK and Ireland is a non-profit organization focused on planning events, activities and develop projects to benefit CODAs across the UK and Ireland of various age groups. All of which will comply with recent policies and procedures including Health and Safety, Child Protection and Equal Opportunities.
To raise the profile of CODA UK and Ireland within D/deaf and hearing communities, as well as educating people on important issues such as CODA identity through affiliation with D/deaf and hearing organisations.
The Organisation as it currently stands is run voluntarily by Marie Dimond but without the support of many other volunteers and the encouragement from wiser CODAs it would not have developed so far.
Marie Dimond
- Vegan
- Travellor
- Book Worm
- Between Two Cultures Columnist for BDN (Previously written by George Taylor)
Both my parents are Deaf and attended the same residential school for the Deaf in my hometown, Stoke-on-Trent. They met for the first time at the local Deaf club, which became a landmark in my life growing up. My first language was BSL, my second English and social circle remained divided between hearing friends at school and Deaf family/friends at home. The eldest of 11 grandchildren on the maternal side of the family, 9 of which are CODAs!
It wasn’t until I left home to go to University that I discovered the term CODA. At University I completed a BA (Hons) in Deaf Studies and focused on CODAs for my dissertation. I then completed a PosGraduate Diploma Interpreting BSL-English and now work as an MRSLI as part of Dimond Hands a business that will encompass individuals will skills in various areas related to Deafness and the Deaf Community.
I’ve attended CODA International Conferences (Spain/Indiana) and a CODA retreat here in the UK organized by George Taylor and Angie Poole. My determination to support CODAs has lead me to raise funds for a CODA website and fill the gap in services. I have also been able to reach out internationally and support 2 Indian CODAs to go to the 2010 CODA International Conference in Fremont, California.
Vicki Wan Slattery
I am an OH-CODA (Only Hearing CODA). I have just discovered the acronym at my first and fabulous CODA international conference in Berlin. My mum, dad and older sister (by 23 months) are Deaf. My mum is English, born in Burnley where I have grown up and still live, my dad is Chinese and was born in Hong Kong, he moved over to the UK when he was aged 7. My dad is the first Deaf person in his family although on the English side there are now 4 generations of Deaf. My mum and dad met as children playing in the deaf club, at early teens they went a few years without seeing each other and started a relationship when mum was 18 and dad 19. The rest is history!
I first heard the term CODA around the time I was doing my BSL Level 3 aged 23. I thought, ‘oh there’s a name for it’ and never really gave it another thought. About a year later I met Marie (March 2010) in the pub after uni (studying Post Graduate Diploma in British Sign Language and English interpreting) and we chatted about CODA. It turned out she knew my mum as she had worked with her, small world as we all know. I went to my first national CODA conference in Brighton, August 2010 and was amazed to be surrounded by CODAs! It was here that people were talking about CODA international and when I heard it was in Berlin the following year I had to go!
Many people have their own reasons for pursuing CODA events, mine was curiosity and I am so glad I got involved. Berlin was amazing and I can understand why people referred to it as ‘life-changing’.
I am now saving for my second CODA International in Miami 2012 and I can’t wait!