Derby College sign language student Donna is Amazon UKs first BSL ambassador
Learning British Sign Language (BSL) at Derby College Group is helping Amazon UK employee Donna Burton make a huge difference to her colleagues’ lives – and her own life.
Donna, who is 55 and from Ilkeston, works as a process guide at the company’s Kegworth fulfilment centre.
She decided to learn to sign so she could communicate more easily with deaf colleagues at work.
She said: “I used to worry that one of my colleagues in particular might think we were laughing at him as he couldn’t hear us when we were having a joke. I have Tourette’s, which can cause me to tic when I’m nervous, so I know how it feels to think that everyone’s looking at you.”
After downloading the BSL app and using finger speaking skills she learnt years ago, Donna saw a positive change in her colleague.
She added: “Once I was able to better communicate with my colleague, it was clear he was happier in his work.”
Encouraged by this, Donna tried to enrol on the free beginner’s BSL class at DCG’s Ilkeston College, but that was full, so she paid to go on the level 1 course instead.
She added: “Going to college at 55, and with my condition, might have made me nervous and made my tics worse, but everyone at college has been so welcoming and friendly. When I went to enrol, I was greeted with a warm smile from the lovely person on reception, which immediately put me at my ease.”
Since then, Donna has become an Amazon Ambassador for British Sign Language, the first within the whole of Amazon UK. She is currently using BSL to help make communication easier between 10 hearing-impaired team members and their managers.
Donna added: “What started out as me learning something for myself, has led to my employer carving out full-time interpreter roles. I’m proud to be an Amazon ambassador. I’m just a normal person and hopefully my story will inspire others who want to make a difference but might feel scared of standing out.”
For more information and to apply for the course: https://www.derby-college.ac.uk/course/award-in-british-sign-language-level-1-2/
More News From Amber Valley Info
| From Schools To Farms - 80,000 Trees Take Root Across Derbyshire Tens of thousands of new trees have been planted across Derbyshire as Derbyshire’s Heartwood Community Forest read more | |
| Pupils join artist to put art and soul into vibrant mural on side of their school Schoolchildren teamed up with a community artist to create a vibrant mural on the gable end of thei read more | |
| Optical team smashes fundraising target at Race for Life COLLEAGUES from Specsavers in Belper are celebrating after raising more than £1,200 for Cancer Research UK after crossing t read more | |
| Alfreton care home resident celebrates volunteering recognition and snooker success A care home resident from Alfreton is celebrating two personal milestones after being recognised read more | |
| Families Invited To Help Shape The Future Of Family Support In Derbyshire Parents and carers across Derbyshire are being invited to take part in a series of engagement sessions to h read more | |
The Amber Valley Info Noticeboard
| Food waste recycling is coming to Amber Valley From June 2026, Amber Valley Borough Council will introduce weekly food waste recycling across the borough as part of a phased roll-ou read more | |
| Stallholder Bookings Now Open For The Tansley Big Day Out We're excited to announce that Tansley's Big Day Out 2026 will take place on 6th & 7th June 2026! read more | |
| Christmas and New Year bin collection dates Over the festive season, bin collections will operate on revised schedules. Some collections may take place up to two days earlier than u read more | |
| Launch Of WOMBLE MANIA! At the Heights of Abraham, Opened by Marcus Robertson, Son of Wombles author, Elisabeth Beresford, officially launched WOMBLE MANIA! at the Heights of Abraha read more | |
| Belper School and Sixth Form Centre Closed Today Due to a significant water leak, resulting in the water being turned off at school, we unfortunately have to close the school today. read more | |
