terptree first enabled Comic-Con to provide access for the Deaf community to attend this special event in May at short notice because all their booked interpreters had fallen ill.

We ensured the staff at Comic-Con were given the best advice on such a large event and what requirements were necessary to provide support.

Joanna from MCM Expo, organisers of the Comic-Con event, had this to say:

“We heard about terptree through word of mouth from a friend, and they only had positive things to say, so we decided to use their service.

We needed to provide interpreters to expand accessibility as much as possible in one of the theatres at Comic-Con so that deaf people could participate and interact with the panels. Before interpreters were used, they had a basic sound system and had ad hoc hearing loops installed, but this did not allow participation from the Deaf community.

When we got the call from MCM Expo, the team at terptree were very excited at being given this opportunity to enable access to this unique event.

To make sure we maximised this experience for the Deaf community, we discussed Comic-Con’s requirements and contacted our experienced interpreters, who have provided support in similar settings before. We were inundated with interest and, due to its nature, were able to book interpreters quickly and efficiently. The interpreters who worked on the booking were also extremely excited.

100 applicants for special assistance passes were made, although not all of these may have been from deaf people, and some deaf people may not have requested assistance. However, I knew of at least 1 person who went to a panel who was deaf, and they could comfortably attend because of the interpreters there. They could interact and enjoy the experience just like everyone else.”

terptree is using its contacts and knowledge to continually promote these events with Comic-Con to maximise the number of attendees.

Joanna said, “We will continue to use terptree interpreters at the London Flagship shows twice a year for the big draw panels. This year they were used at various panels such as Doctor Who and Sherlock panel, thereby allowing deaf access to the big events.”

The importance of having interpreters at these big panel events allows deaf people to not only experience the exhibition elements of the event but also to have access to the individuals on the panel whom they respect and revere.

Joanna continued, “I would absolutely recommend terptree. They are very easy to use, from booking through to the delivery at the event. The interpreters were all fantastic, and even when some of the panellists tried to trip them up by throwing in rude words, they handled it well. We will definitely be using terptree again for our shows next year.”

It is a pleasure to work alongside the Comic-Con/MCM Expo team at each event they put on. They provide us with help and advice about how the days are mapped out, and the interpreters will be providing support, and not only this, but they request and ask for our advice on where interpreters should be placed on stage, their break requirements and this advice is valued by their entire team.