About Thames Water
Thames Water is the UK’s largest water and wastewater services provider, responsible for safeguarding water quality and managing essential environmental services. Field scientists play a critical role in investigating issues, often travelling to remote or hazardous locations where safe and accurate communication is essential.
One of these scientists is Oliver Richardson, who has partnered with Victoria for around 18 years. As a deaf professional working in demanding site environments, he relies on interpreting support that is consistent, knowledgeable and capable of meeting the safety requirements of his work.
Oliver’s role involves visiting a variety of sites, many of which are in remote or hazardous locations. As a deaf professional who relies on interpreting support, he needed interpreters who could:
- Travel to challenging areas, including locations such as the Isle of Wight
- Understand the demands of hazardous site work
- Arrive fully briefed and equipped
- Support him in unpredictable and sometimes fast-changing environments
This required a provider who not only supplied interpreters, but also understood the operational risks of his work and could handle the logistical demands placed on them.
Victoria provided not just interpreting support but a full logistical service, ensuring that interpreters were prepared, equipped and fully briefed before attending site.
This included:
- Selecting interpreters who were willing and able to travel to remote locations
- Ensuring interpreters understood hazardous site requirements
- Managing health and safety expectations prior to site visits
- Providing interpreters who could handle cold, outdoor environments for long periods
- Preventing last-minute cancellations or equipment issues
- Offering continuity by matching Oliver with suitable regular interpreters
Oliver described this partnership:
“Because I have Victoria’s support, I don’t need to worry about any last-minute swaps or changes like taking interpreters off-site due to illness or whether interpreters were equipped correctly, Victoria took care of that for me.”
This gave Oliver confidence that every site visit would run smoothly, safely and without disruption.
Working with Victoria has delivered long-term, meaningful benefits for Oliver and for Thames Water’s operations:
As Oliver explained:
“It’s such a huge relief not to worry about these things and to know the risks are being managed effectively.”
“I would recommend Victoria to others because she has created a business centered around the deaf person – it’s all about you and your requirements. They treat every client as an individual rather than a source of income.”
— Oliver Richardson
“I discovered Victoria when they first started about 18 years ago! She was recommended to me by another (local) deaf person when I began working in Southampton.”
— Oliver Richardson
“I would advise getting to know Victoria and taking the time to express what you need, also, sharing as many details as you can about your role.”
Oliver Richardson
“When working on a field production site, there are really strict rules around feeling healthy in the days running up to the trip.”
Oliver Richardson
“When I’ve worked with others, they have usually just found the first person who said ‘yes’ to the job! They haven’t considered the wider implications of being able to work with that person, or the kind of work you’re involved in.”
Oliver Richardson
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