I first started teaching Signed English in 1994 at my 1st child's school in Kindergarten. I also taught them song signing and they performed on stage at Bicentennial Central Park for Carols-by-Candlelight song signing Silent Night.
I did my very first performance on my wedding day in 1995. I performed a very special song to my husband Ashton. "Love Me Tender" by Elvis Presley. It bought tears to my husband's eyes! The guests, both hearing and deaf, loved it. This song is very special for my husband and me.
In 1997 I taught Year 3 and 4 students Auslan, and song signing. They performed at Tamworth Shopping World during the Deaf Pride Week in August. They also performed for their school.
In 1998 I taught Year 1 students Auslan and song signing. The students performed at the school hall and also at the Bicentennial Park, Carols by Candlelight
From 1999 to the year 2000 I taught Year 5 and 6 Auslan and Song Signing "Talking Hands" by Judy Small
I am currently teaching Auslan at Tamworth TAFE and the Adult Education Centre.
I also run Song Signing Workshops. Song Signing is a unique deaf cultural art form, which not only promotes pride skills in Auslan for Sign Language Users, but also fosters respect and an understanding of deafness in the hearing community.
I have been the President of the Tamworth Deaf Access Committee since 1998 and the Editor of New England Area Deaf Community Newsletter, President and organizer of WeSingNsing2u Tamworth Country Music Committee since 2001
I have been awarded the Deaf Person of the Year Award in 1996 and 1997 for taking the initiative to call a meeting to arrange the Deaf Pride Week and develop a group of people that were working well together. I fostered Deaf Pride Week by voluntarily teaching sing sign language in many schools. I organized public song signing to foster understanding of deafness in Tamworth and have developed links both in the hearing as well as the deaf community. I was the secretary of the Tamworth Deaf Access Committee and President of the Tamworth Deaf Pride Week Committee. I have been generous in offering my home for meetings and have unselfishly supported the deaf community to the best of my ability. By allowing the members to be in control of choosing the areas I believe I have empowered them.
In 2001 I was given an award for Volunteering Expressions
of Australia, AMP Journey of a Nation for my work within the Deaf Community
- building a bridge between the deaf and hearing community. My song signing
performance with Adam Brand, Lee Kernaghan and many more!
I was born in Quirindi, a small town near Tamworth. I grew up there until my father passed away when I was 6. I moved to Newcastle and lived there until the age of 18. I moved back to Tamworth and have been here ever since.
I met my husband Ashton, in 1987. We had 2 children before we finally tied the knot in 1995. We then had 2 more children. Amye, Matthew, Emily and Amelia.
I have been deaf since birth but can communicate very well through Lip-reading. I have my mother Glen, to thank so much for working so hard and spending hours when I was a child to learn and to be able to speak and not let my disability get me down. Thanks a million mum!!
I am the oldest sibling in my family. I have 2 brothers, Peter who has 2 children named Angela and Dylan and David (deaf also) has 1 children of his own named Sarah and is married to Pamela who is also deaf. Kim and Randall are my step brother and sister. My mother married a man named Ian and has had another daughter Shelley. Shelley has 1 child named Olivia. We are a very close family.
I have always loved music growing up as a teenager and loved to dance. It never crossed my mind that I will become a song signer. Although I did dream about performing on stage in front of deaf and the hearing also, when I was a teenager but nothing like this. For me, in many ways, my dream has come true.
I became serious about my performance when I first performed with Adam Brand in 2001.
I and my family have become very close friends with both Adam Brand and his wife Ann-Marie and also his manager Graham Thompson. We keep in touch through SMS messages, emails and sometimes by phone.
I like to thank them for allowing me to perform with them and making my dream come true. Without their support and my husband's support also I wouldn’t be where I am today. (Performing professionally). Thank you.
My first big performance was when I performed with Adam Brand during the Country Music Festival in 2001. It was a nerve wracking moment but I loved it.
I was the first Australian's deaf person to song sign along with an artist like Adam Brand.
I wanted to open the hearts of the community at large and make people feel the song rather than just hear it and I also wanted the Deaf community to develop their love for music and understand it. Music is an important part of life and I feel that it is important for the Deaf to feel that music as well.
I use my hands not only to tell the story of the song but also through sweeping graceful moves that almost looks like a dance.
I do this for the enjoyment that it will bring, not just for me but for others as well.
I have set up my own Logo for "IsingNsign2u, Music for Your Eyes"
I have performed song signing at my sister's and brothers wedding. I have performed at many other places such as birthday parties since.
My aim is to song sign on country music's night of nights at the CMAA Toyota Country Music Awards of Australia and I will be performing at the Australian Deaf Olympic Games in 11th April 2003 at the Opening of the games.
I have always refused to let my deafness let me down or stop me from doing something that I love.
I went into business as a professional Child Carer in 1997 and it has been running really well since. I care for children aged from 0 to 12 yrs. Sometimes I will have up to 5 or 7 children in care at a time.
