Our Ambassadors

Welcome to our Ambassador page. Each Ambassador has their own blog so they can share their own personal Journey as a MakatonLDND Ambassador.

Hello ! I’m Meg Kings and I have been apart of the MakatonLDND from the very beginning and I hope we can reach more people with our website and raise awareness how important communication is.

I’m a first year student studying Law at the university of Derby , so I’m not from a health professional back ground but as someone who in the near future will be doing career in law I want all my clients to be able to confidentially express their request in any situation. I follow all the current laws and changes including The Bill of Rights in June 2022. I will be Blogging around law and politics, and the volunteer work I do as MakatonLDND Ambassador to get more signatures. I am also the sectary for MakatonLDND.

Hi my name is Llie ( Lee ) Hayes and I am NQN learning disability nurse and I work at Respite service supporting people with learning disabilities . I have been apart of the MakatonLDND since 2021 and strongly believe everyone should not only have access to communicate their wishes like Makaton but also that training should be apart of all health care training/diplomas/degrees . Three things about me . Number 1 I really don’t like having my photo taken and prefer to behind the scenes. Number 2 Moving and handling has always been an interest of mine since collage and can be a huge part of someone’s care. Number 3 I love Dogs and Cats but unfortunately sets off my allergies. MakatonLDND Coordinator.

Steve Hardy – Steve is a Practice Development Nurse at Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust. He is also an Independent Consultant Nurse in his own time. He has been extensively published in the fields of learning disabilities, mental health, The Mental Capacity Act (2007) and autism. He has been the editor of two journal – Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities and Advances in Autism. With being a founder of the former journal. Steve was also a founder of The Estia Centre which was set up in 1999. He has a history (since 1990) for standing up for the human rights of people with learning disabilities and autistic individuals regardless of personal cost. 

Life has changed since having a major stroke in 2014. He found life very difficult and had to make many adaptations. As well as having hemianopia the stroke dramatically altered his communication, having auditory processing disorder on the right side (but is much better now) and an including changes in personality. But life is much better now and he is thrilled to become an ambassador for MakatonLDND and is also an ambassador for Positive Voices for Positive Choices.

Caoimhe Patterson started Sign with Caoimhe 3 years ago to make awareness of Makaton. A year later Oliver and his family joined the sign with Caoimhe family.

Makaton needs to be made mandatory in Learning disability nursing degree’s, communication is a important skill and Makaton is a widely used method of communication among those with learning disabilities, their families and those supporting them. Thank you for allowing us to be part of your team and MakatonLDND

Hi, I’m Ellie Sims ! I am currently studying Learning Disability Nursing on the masters programme at the University of Nottingham. My first degree was in Psychology at Loughborough. I play football and I am also a keen runner, which helps me to de-stress from assignments! 

I am a very proud big sister of Maisie-Grace who has Downs Syndrome. We have always used Makaton with Maisie and it has enhanced her quality of life immensely. She could sign before she could speak and although she can talk clearly now, she still uses Makaton. She loves signing and it helps her to understand and follow instruction. Because of this, I am very passionate about communication (Makaton in particular) and I am as determined as Makaton LDND to make a difference.

Hi my name is Savannah Cuff, I’m currently a 3rd year learning disability nursing student at GCU.
I am delighted to be an ambassador for such a wonderful cause, Makaton opens so many pathways for communication for individuals in every day life.
Thank you for selecting me to be part of your team ❤️

Hello, My name is Louise Mc Gilloway, I am a mam to two girls, Isla & Annie and currently a first year learning disability nurse at Teesside university.
Communication is so vitally important to a nurses role, so I was shocked to find up when starting my degree that makaton was not taught at all throughout the 3 years.
This lead me to researching around makaton and nursing degree and then I found Makaton LDND.
Makaton needs to be made mandatory in Learning disability nursing degree’s, communication is a fundamental skill and Makaton is a widely used method of communication among those with learning disabilities, their families and those supporting them.

I’m Shirley Pallet I’m an Assistant Teacher in a special needs school. I have just started on my journey to become a Makaton Tutor. I hope sharing it with you will help you in some way to see that it’s fun, rewarding, at times hard but worthwhile.

Hi my names Sally – Anne Dicken , but I prefer to be called Sally and I’m a community learning disability nurse I feel that everyone should have access to communicate their needs specially when it comes to their health. I’m the Founder of the MakatonLDND and I’m really looking forward to blogging and sharing my journey as apart of the MakatonLDND Team. I cant wait read everyone else blogs too.