A WOMAN who offers training to reduce the barriers faced by deaf people has spoken of her pride at being nominated for a Sue Ryder Yorkshire Women of Achievement Award.

Elizabeth Bojas, 36, from Yeadon, understands the barriers first-hand – many of her family members, including her three sons, are deaf.

She wanted to make a difference and began working with deaf children. She set up Reflect BSL five years ago to help people access services, including interpreting, translation, consultation, information and training.

She said: "During the past few years, our training section has grown considerably.

"We offer a variety of sign language courses, from British Sign Language (BSL) Level 1 to Level 3. I also train families, individuals and organisations, and design these courses with the purpose of reducing barriers and raising awareness. This includes how to work with deaf people and how to improve communication in general.

"I discovered I was nominated for a Sue Ryder Women of Achievement Award 2016 for the Business Category during Deaf Awareness Week, which made the nomination extra special. Having spent time trying to create better opportunities and improve access for deaf people, including future generations, this meant a great deal. It was something I didn't expect, and I feel humbled by this recognition."