As part of B&Q’s commitment to encourage diversity in the workplace, it sponsored RADAR’s ‘Young Persons Award for Fresh Impact on the Human Rights of Disabled People’. This award recognises young, disabled individuals who have made a significant impact in this area. This year’s winner, Dean Rhodes Brandon, has been highly influential in getting cinemas to include subtitles and audio descriptions to enhance the experience for disabled clients.

 

Dean's father tells us about Dean:

"Dean started the service so he and his disabled friends, and their families, could enjoy the cinema like everyone else.

"Dean was born three months premature, and spent the first three months of his life in St. Thomas' Hospital, London, with his mum by his bedside.

"At two weeks old Dean suffered a massive infection, which led to many complications. The end result leaving him with cerebral palsy, profound deafness and a visual impairment. At two weeks old he was given the last rites, by the same priest that many months later, Christened him.

"These disabilities have been no barrier to Dean, he attends a mainstream school, loves movies, swimming and football, and is a computer whizzkid.

"He is immensely determined and feels he can overcome any problem he is faced with. He's a superhero, and his family and friends are extremely proud of his achievements."

 

Q&A with Dean.

1. what is your name, age and job?

My name is Dean Rhodes Brandon. I am 16 years old and work for an information service called 'Your Local Cinema .com'. We work with the UK film industry to enable people with a hearing or visual impairment to enjoy the cinema experience.

2. which People of the Year Award did you win and for what?

In 2006 I won the 'Young Person's Award for Fresh Impact on the Human Rights of Young People', in recognition of my achievements in the field of access for disabled people.

It's great that some people out there appreciate my work, but the success of 'accessible cinema' has been very much a team effort. Nowadays, around a third of UK cinemas have subtitle and audio description facilities. Most popular films are now released with these 'access' features and every week thousands of 'accessible' shows are screened nationwide.

The UK film industry and many groups that represent people with sensory impairments have worked hard to achieve
this.

3. how did you get the idea for yourlocalcinema.com?

As a child, I loved movies (still do), but being deaf meant I could never participate in the normal social activity of a trip to the cinema with my family or friends. I would usually have to wait months for the captioned video release. But in July 2000 I went to a special captioned showing of the animated film 'Chicken Run'. This was the first time I had ever enjoyed a film on the big screen. The captions (subtitles) made all the difference. I wondered 'Why aren't all films subtitled?' It just seemed so unfair.

My parents and I looked into it and discovered that the technology was there, the audience was there - they just needed to be introduced to each other! So we decided to raise awareness of the issue, and try to improve things.

4. were you already interested in computers/internet or did you have a lot to learn?

I have mild cerebral palsy which makes writing difficult for me. It's easier and quicker to type. I had been using computers since I was four, at home, and in school. I just learned as I went along really.

It's quite easy to create a basic website and email newsletter - almost everyone I know has their own 'blog', or 'myspace' page these days.

5. who helped you?

My parents had been working with computers for years, so when things started to get busy they were able to help me set up a more professional website and information service.

We continued to gather listings and information on subtitled (and later audio described) cinema, and present it to the nation every week, by email. We spent a lot of time building relationships with useful people in the film and disability fields. Many were very supportive and have helped enormously over the years.

6. how did you publicise the site?

Rather than just moan and campaign, we decided early on to work with the film industry to try and build audiences for 'accessible' cinema shows.

We also worked with the main groups representing sensory impaired people, to create awareness of access to cinemas for disabled people.

The RNID, RNIB, NDCS and other groups regularly publicised the service in their magazines, mailings, and on their websites. The BBC helped out by featuring the service on TV (See Hear), radio (In Touch), and on their news and disability websites. Many local newspapers and websites took an interest and reported on 'accessible' cinema shows, pointing people to our website for more info. And the film industry ensured that the service was regularly mentioned on websites, in their trade magazines, at conferences and events, and sometimes on movie posters and adverts. (Britain now leads the world in this field and the film industry is very proud of that).

Word of mouth helped a lot too. Many people request information cards from our website, to distribute to people who may benefit from accessible cinema, all over the UK.

Winning an award also helps to get publicity! Last year we were lucky enough to win the RADAR award, and were also finalists in the Daily Mail Enterprise Awards and the National Lottery Awards.

7. how did you manage to find your sponsors?

For over three years we provided the service on a voluntary basis. As the service grew it was becoming costly to run (we have a helpline, call centre, and various 'access' technologies on our website). Also, as the number of cinemas with access facilities grew, it became quite a time consuming project

When we started there was NO accessible cinemas. Now over 200 (around a third) of UK cinemas have access facilities. By 2004 we were very busy indeed. We had managed to build up good working relationships with many people in the film industry, so we decided to ask them for financial help and support. We felt it was only fair, as we were helping to create a new audience for them. They were very happy to help, and our not-for-profit service is now sponsored by, amongst others, the cream of the UK film industry.

Without their support we couldn't do what we do.

8. what advice would you give to other young disabled people who think they have a good idea for a new product or service?

Well, I'm profoundly deaf, practically blind without my glasses, and have mobility problems. I can't ride a bike or climb trees like my friends can, but can do many other things that they can't. My advice would be to recognise the things you CAN do, and make the most of them. I really think that almost anyone can do almost anything. Some people just need a little more help than others. If you have an idea for a product or service that can improve the lives of disabled people, then do whatever you can to make it happen. If you don't try, you will never know if it will work. Just remember that there are plenty of people, organisations and companies our there that can help. You just gotta be persistent!

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