Breakthrough !

It's taken 15 or more years and megabytes of online criticism and deaf oppositions, but the RNID have finally agreed to capitulate to requests to deliver access for deaf people to the RNID, regardless if paying members or not, this is after lengthy BBC and online campaigns and blogs that have been locked in a negative battle against the RNID for some time. To lessen the bitter battle and slanging match with the UK's largest purported charity representing the deaf in the United Kingdom. The New Year's media release from J Ballard their C.E.O, posted by e-mail to me today reads as follows......

"In response to the growing issue of a small, but vociferous, sector of deaf people who feel the RNID is operating an exclusion policy. I will start by refuting this entirely, however, and in order to stop the arguing and continued negativity offered to the RNID, we will offer to re-open the online forum we had, which was removed a few years ago, because of issues that were created before I became CEO at the RNID. This is no way indicates or suggests, the RNID were responsible for it closing or, that it was a deliberate or calculated act to exclude deaf people from raising issues with us, there was too much personal abuse, and the RNID felt there was no other option, and could not afford to pay for pro-active 24/7 moderation...

There has been a history of contention between the deaf signing/cultural deaf area and the RNID, which we understand started when a deaf CEO was voted out of office by our membership, via a democratic and majority vote. We are unable to go in to any lengthy explanation regarding that issue as there are legal implications involved agreed by both parties, we are NOT refusing to give out information, we are not allowed to by law.

Regarding requests for open 'surgeries' direct to senior executives of the RNID, and indeed to all area offices, is an issue we intend to bring up at the next trustee meeting, it will then be down to individual senior staff to do this, and if time permits them to moderate such access, the RNID cannot fund such a system itself..... Initially, and if this occurs, there will NOT be sign access as the RNID cannot afford to do this. We know we promised this 5 years ago, but financial circumstances and the recent bank issues combined with the downturn in funding, still makes this not possible.

Online bloggers like 'MM' and a few others, suggest as we represent 1 in 7 persons deaf or hard of hearing in the UK, then so should we open our doors to them all access - wise too, and allow then voting rights. We already offer we feel access to anyone via an e-mail or telephone, a letter, or they can call in any of our offices, voting rights however, as described, are not written in our constitution except to those who are paying members. A change of our charitable remit would be needed. If present RNID members call for this we would of course consider their request, but the trustees have the ultimate decision to take,and if it is a viable proposition.

We hope initially that throwing open again the forum which has led to many deaf people increasingly angry at the RNID, is a step forward to better relations between ourselves and the deaf sector."

J.Ballard/B.Lamb
RNID.