Deaf dog care student among Enfield award winners after helping teach sign language

Lily Donavon has been recognized for her ‘remarkable efforts’ in spreading awareness of the hearing impaired

An Enfield student has won a Jack Petchey Achievement Award for teaching sign language to her classmates and staff at Capel Manor College.

Lily Donavon, 19, studies dog grooming at Bulls Cross College and was recognized for her “outstanding efforts” in raising awareness of the hearing impaired and helping others learn British Sign Language (BSL).

As part of Deaf Awareness Week last week, Lily shared the story of her journey to winning the award and her plans for the future. She said: “I was born deaf and at the age of 4 I had a cochlear implant fitted on my left side.

“I’ve had a hard time making new friends as communicating with hearing people can be challenging, but I’m a happy and confident person and will always try to express myself.”

For the past four years, Lily has worked at a dog grooming salon in Essex and is now studying at Capel Manor College in Enfield to become a professional dog groomer.

Speaking about moving from a school for the deaf where BSL was the main language to one where spoken English was the norm, Lily said: “I had to adapt. But I wanted to break down barriers and teach other people, students and staff about Deaf culture and BSL.

“We have achieved this by raising the profile of the challenges facing the deaf community and educating others on how they can support them. The deaf community includes people who are hard of hearing, deaf-blind, deaf-blind and deaf-disabled and beyond. These experiences are not all the same.”

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This proactive nature led Lily to run a series of sessions to teach BSL sign language to both staff and students. The students said the training sessions were fantastic and how good she was as a teacher. With her passion and positive attitude, Lily has become an inspiration to those around her. This is what prompted her peers to nominate her for the achievement award.

With the grant she received from the Jack Petchey Foundation for winning her award, Lily took her class on an educational trip to Hertfordshire Zoo. There, she was lucky enough to have a wild wolf experience where she fed the wolves, which further inspired her to consider opening her own dog grooming business once she finished her studies.

The teenager was among 160 other 11- to 25-year-olds from Enfield to receive a Jack Petchey Achievement Award over two nights recently. Winners received medallions and framed certificates from the foundation, along with a £300 grant to spend on their school, college or youth organisation.

Sir Jack founded the Jack Petchey Foundation in 1999 to recognize the positive contributions young people make to society and to support them in realizing their potential. Since then, the foundation has invested over £170 million in programs and partnerships that have directly benefited nearly 1.2 million young people in London and Essex.

Enfield it has received nearly £2 million since the foundation’s inception. The mayor of Enfield called Suna Hurman said: “He was an amazing young man, really talented. Good luck to each of them.”

Sir Jack Petchey CBE, 98, added: “I am passionate about our awards scheme, which enables young people to be recognised, appreciated and rewarded for their achievements and positive contributions to society.”

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