Gerry S M Hughes

Gerry Hughes is the world's first deaf elite solo circumnavigator. As a boy he struggled with basic literacy as a result of the oralist philosophy in deaf education that deaf children should be forbidden access to sign language and trained to listen and speak. However, Gerry knew that education was the key to achieving his boyhood dream of sailing solo around the world. When Gerry joined Mary Brennan's BSL Research Team at the University of Edinburgh, he not only discovered the possibilities...See more

Gerry Hughes is the world's first deaf elite solo circumnavigator. As a boy he struggled with basic literacy as a result of the oralist philosophy in deaf education that deaf children should be forbidden access to sign language and trained to listen and speak. However, Gerry knew that education was the key to achieving his boyhood dream of sailing solo around the world. When Gerry joined Mary Brennan's BSL Research Team at the University of Edinburgh, he not only discovered the possibilities that sign language offered him, he also found his true identity. Since then Gerry has not only broken sailing world records, received numerous sporting awards and honours, he is also a qualified teacher who has campaigned relentlessly for the human rights of deaf children. In 2014, The University of Glasgow awarded Gerry an Honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt) in recognition of his contribution to education, disabled rights and sports. See less