This month I would like to have us consider a simple statement: BDA as a Deaf-led organisation, especially in the context of our new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Simon Wilkinson-Blake being hearing.

The Board do accept and understand that there may have been expectations or hopes that we would extend the image and ‘voice' of the Deaf Community to the person in the role of BDA CEO as well. I am sure that no one would dispute that it would have been encouraging and positive if we were able to get a Deaf CEO. However, this person is primarily needed to be able to stabilise the BDA's finances to take the BDA forward into a new era, where we can campaign, represent the interests and values of the Deaf Community more effectively, and where it would result in a growth of membership as the BDA gets seen as being more relevant to today's Deaf Community.

The fact remains that throughout the well structured recruitment process, Simon was put forward as the best candidate. The challenge is for us to ensure that the visions and the ethos of the BDA will be solidly maintained at all times and for us to work together in translating successes from our shared goals.
Simon has proven experience of working with lobbying and getting results from the campaigning efforts; for example, in ‘having shops open on Sundays', which required in some ways a change of our cultural thinking and of our society's expectations.

Those of us who have already worked with Simon have admired his positive attitude and confidence, his determination and his willingness to learn BSL on top of his challenging goals for the BDA.
Is the BDA still a Deaf-led organisation? That question may be asked by some people, I can resoundingly answer that question most positively, as the simple facts remain;

- All Board members must be Deaf and as the governors they have the power to set the directions for the organisation and approving the annual budget for the BDA.

- The Chair still has a vital role, not just as the Chair of the organisation, but also to work closely with the CEO as is normal for the Chair and CEO in voluntary organisations.

- The members of the BDA actually elect the Board and have powers in forming resolutions at AGM, to represent their own views and be able to vote for new directions.

- We still have very able senior managers in place who are Deaf, such as Avril Hepner, BSL Director and Richard Jones, our National Project Manager.

- The history, values and the norms of the organisation are still there and people out there still see the BDA as an important and unique organisation in pushing forward the BSL agenda and being more representative of the Deaf Community in the UK.

Our CEO is simply the highest ranking executive administrator in charge of the total management of the organisation, reporting to the Board of trustees. His job is to ensure that the BDA have the right resources, and allocate them in the best ways to achieve the key objectives.

The Board and CEO share the same ambition to see us in a better position in the long term, to deliver better and more effective membership services, to develop new resources and a strategy for effective campaigning in achieving our BSL equality ambitions.

In short, we are still the BDA, we know that we still have work to do and hope that we will have the full support of all members for us to achieve our shared visions.