Thoughts from Wendy Turner and her career as an electronic notetaker and now a novelist! I trained as an Electronic Notetaker on the pilot course in London run by City Lit and RNID as it was then (now they’re Action on Hearing Loss). It was tough! The standard was high. But it was great; I still have friends made during training. I am a member of the Association of Note-taking Professionals (ANP), through which some work requests are received.
I took early retirement from my post at London Metropolitan University and spotted an advertisement for the pilot e-notetaking course. I considered it a nice little retirement job but was amazed at the demand for electronic note-takers.
For me, working with deaf students is a privilege. All of them have achieved their degrees (so far!), which is a tribute to their determination to overcome barriers and pursue their dream. Courses undertaken by students cover such interesting subjects as Art & Design, Criminology, Sociology, Economics, Law, Psychology, Computer Science and Teacher Training. The students are always enthusiastic and motivated, without exception. I work mostly for Action on Hearing Loss (AOHL) in business. Still, I have covered assignments in Great Ormond Street Hospital, the Science Museum, Government Departments, HMRC, Social Services, a meeting in a tea shop (with cakes!), Kimberly-Clark and the Andrex puppy, and even a Cats Home!
Among my favourite memories is the teacher who signed to her hearing dog under the table, the hearing dog who got lost and queued up at an ice cream van (they gave him one) and the fundraising antics of students, which included cross-dressing and a ‘man auction’ for a night out. Great ideas!
In my writing life, I have been a Verulum Writers’ Circle St. Albans member for around 14 years and serve on the Committee. I love writing short stories; poems, articles and now my children’s book; ‘Adventures of the Time Travelling Friends.’ It’s about a teenager, Beth, who stays with weird Aunt Hippo (Hypolita); while her mum has a baby. In Aunt Hippo’s house, Meg mysteriously appears to Beth one night; and explains that she lived there in 1785, and they become friends. Can Beth help Meg find her stolen silver chalice and rescue her family from poverty, all the time avoiding nasty Seawick the Butler and the horrible Fuzzy Ginger Beard, who Meg’s mum wants her to marry? Find out about Meg’s friend Bryan who looks after the four beautiful horses.
Visit http://www.wendyturnerstories.co.uk/ and join Beth’s blog with your comments and ideas.
