EVENTS
Outreach at the University of Warwick 2022
A full room on the 27 October for our WMG outreach session with Warwick University translation studies students.
Students heard from Phil Jackson, our university outreach coordinator, about his everyday life as a freelance translator and about the benefits of joining both the ITI and our regional group. Sessions at the University of Birmingham and at Aston University are planned for the new year.
Co-working at the Urban Cafe (03/11/22)
What a glorious day in Brum!
Another productive and fun morning was spent co-working with out fabulous ITI WMG colleagues. Cake, conversation, and sage advice was shared, lots of niggling admin done and our website / blog updated. A successful morning for everyone and extra special as we were able to share Luke's birthday too! Join us next time?
Spooky goings on at Kenilworth Castle.. 29/10/22
Our autumn meet up was a spook-tacular day out at Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire. The WMG group covers a vast geographical area, covering Birmingham, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, and parts of Gloucestershire and the North Midlands, so we are trying to organise events in different areas to make it easier for WMG members to connect with us in person.
It was a beautiful, sunny autumn day that really showed Kenilworth Castle off at its best. We met up at the Stables Cafe for coffee before splitting up into small groups to visit the site. Halloween activities organised by English Heritage added to the atmosphere and fancy dress was definitely the order of the day. Lunch was an opportunity to discuss ideas for future events and agenda items for the next committee meeting taking place on the 8th December at our co-working space, the Urban Cafe, Church Street, Birmingham, before our favourite event of the year - The Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market get-together (meeting on the steps of the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery at 5pm). See you there!
Photo (above) is of Bryan and Rob putting the world to rights
A "bostin'" summer social at the Black Country Living Museum
The Black Country Living Museum was the venue for our summer day out on Saturday 23 July 2022. Eight WMG members and guests enjoyed a lovely day out in a great setting, where over 50 shops, houses and other industrial buildings from around the Metropolitan Boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton have been painstakingly relocated to be preserved for future generations.We decided to have two meeting points, the first outside joint-coordinator Sarah Letza's great-grandfather's house at midday, now one of the terraced houses representing the Chainmaker's house. The second meeting point at 1.30pm was at a picnic area next to the Cradley Heath Workers' Institute (or the 'Stute, as my mom used to say!) where we spent a good hour and a half eating our 'snap' and catching up with each other. We were also really pleased to welcome new WMG member, Luke James, who translates from French & Japanese to English. Thanks to everyone who came and were looking forward to our next trip to Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire in the autumn.
Sarah Letza
Co-working (again) at the Urban Cafe
This month's co-working session in Birmingham took place last Thursday, with chats about sport, the bottle packaging process, sumo wrestling, Jae's new ITI Sports' Network, translating literature and...just generally catching up! Lots to talk about stemming from our AGM last week at Aston University too. It's just nice feeling like we're getting back to the new 'normal' at last.
Co-working @ The
Urban Café
The first co-working
session of the year has taken place at The Urban Café on Church Street in
Birmingham. Four members of the group enjoyed work, coffee, cake and company whilst
putting the world – and this blog - to rights! The next session will be on the
21st of April – why not join us?
ITI-WMG
SPRING WALK 2021
Droitwich,
Saturday 22nd May 2021 11:00 a.m.
The first walk of 2021 is based on the historic salt town
of Droitwich, Worcestershire. It is an easy 7-mile circular walk with one stile,
on public footpaths, or on the towpath.
Brief description: leaving the Leisure Centre car park
we first walk beside the Droitwich Barge Canal (re-opened to navigation in
2010) to Vines Park, where various displays explain the history of the salt
mines. We then head north on undulating terrain (this is the section where the
stile occurs) to the hamlet of Hampton Lovett with its Norman church. If open,
it is well worth a visit. We then turn west and walk along the Monarchs Way
through a modern business park – “Creamy, crunchy, crazy” comes to mind! – slightly
uphill to our lunch spot on Jakeman’s Hill. Here we can gaze upon Westwood
Hall with the Malvern Hills in the background. After a break for lunch,
we continue to follow the Monarchs Way, skirting the Hall and walking through
fertile agricultural land on a well-defined footpath. We then cross the river
Salwarpe and the A38 back to our starting point.
Meeting
time and set up: Since we will
not stop for a packed lunch until we are approximately two-thirds of the way
round, we would ask that people plan to arrive earlier than usual so that we
can make a prompt start, i.e., to arrive between 10:30 and 10:45 on
Saturday 22/05/2021. If
you are running late, please call either myself, or Sarah Hudson (07876 641298)
or Phil Jackson (07584 428858) beforehand.Because Government
restrictions still apply, there are three walk leaders for the route, and
dependent on numbers, we will divide you into groups, leaving at around
5-minute intervals.
Parking:
We
aim to set off at 11:00 from the car park of:
Droitwich
Spa Leisure Centre, Briar Mill, Droitwich WR9 0RZ.
Please
park your car in the overflow area to the rear of the car park. The leisure
centre has a vending machine and toilets. Due to Covid restrictions their staff have asked that we use the toilet
facilities on an individual basis, ideally scanning the QR code (linked to the
NHS Test and Trace App) as you enter the building. There is no charge for the car park,
and the route to the leisure centre is clearly signposted in the town.
Arriving
by train:
The
nearest train station is Droitwich. The train station is close to our starting
point, so if you wish to come by train, please let us know in advance and we
will gladly collect you from the station.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Because of Covid restrictions we have not made any
arrangements for food or drink afterwards, but there are plenty of good eating
and drinking outlets nearby.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Walking boots or stout footwear are
recommended on this walk. Also please ensure dogs are kept on the lead as sheep
and cattle may be grazing.
PLEASE NOTE: Everyone is welcome, but participants
must consider themselves to be on a private excursion - neither the organisers
nor the ITI West Midlands Group can accept any liability for accidents or
injuries sustained by anyone involved.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clive
Walker tel. 07866 201873 or clive@clivewalkertranslations.co.uk
ITI-WMG
SUMMER WALK 2020
Moira,
Saturday 5th September 2020 11:30 a.m.
The second walk of 2020 takes place in The National
Forest. It is an easy 9-mile circular walk on public footpaths, towpaths or on
quiet rural roads. The walk could be shortened in the case of bad weather.
Brief description:
we start in Leicestershire at Moira Furnace (photo top left) and first follow
an isolated section of the Ashby Canal to Conkers, the heart of the National
Forest. From there we briefly cross into South Derbyshire where we walk round the
south shore of the vast Albert Village Lake (photo top right). After a brief waterside
break, we cross back into Leicestershire and walk through woodland and across
farmland. We will stop for a second break at Hicks Lodge, a forestry centre
with toilet and café facilities (hopefully open!). We then continue through
Oakthorpe Colliery Picnic Site and later the Saltersford Valley, before
returning to our starting point via a disused railway and the towpath.
Starting at Moira Furnace (bottom left), we follow the towpath curving right
to Conkers just off the top of the picture
Meeting
point and Parking:
ITI-WMG
WINTER WALK 2020
Pershore,
Saturday 18th January 2020 11:30 a.m.
The first walk of 2020 is based on the Georgian town
of Pershore, Worcestershire. It is an easy 6 ½ mile circular walk with a few
stiles, on public footpaths or on quiet rural roads. On a clear day you can see
the outline of the Malvern Hills, and closer at hand the imposing ramparts of
Bredon Hill.
Meeting
point and Parking:
Studying languages? Considering a career as a translator or
interpreter?
The West Midlands Group of the ITI (Institute of Translation and
Interpreting) invites you to join them for a:
Meet&Greet
When: 23 October from 5.30-8.30pm
Come and find out what the ITI and the WMG do and have a chat with
translators and interpreters specialising in a wide range of languages and
areas of expertise.
The first
drink is on us!
All you have to do is register and bring your ticket. Please, register at Eventbrite
We look forward to seeing you and a friend there!
SUMMER
WALK 2019
This is an easy 8
mile walk on even ground, on footpaths, towpaths, and a short section on a
road. There are several opportunities to take a short cut on route, and finding
your own way back is straightforward.
Walking
boots or stout footwear are recommended, but not essential on this walk. Also
please ensure dogs are kept on the lead as sheep and cattle may be grazing.
PLEASE NOTE: Everyone is welcome but participants must
consider themselves to be on a private excursion - neither the organisers nor
the ITI West Midlands Group can accept any liability for accidents or injuries
sustained by anyone involved.
Creative writing
workshop in Birmingham
Saturday 29th June 2019 (10 am – 4 pm)
Get
creative, indulge your love of language, play with words and discover your own
voice! Join Ros Mendy and Alison Layland for a fun day of creative writing
prompts, discussions and exercises in a supportive atmosphere. No previous
creative writing experience necessary. The workshop will be run in English, but
feel free to write in any language(s) you like.
Venue
The Birmingham & Midland Institute (BMI) is a Grade II*
listed building in the heart of Birmingham, a 15-minute walk from New Street
station. The room is fully accessible for wheelchair users.
Prices
(includes lunch and refreshments)
About the workshop
leaders
Alison Layland (MITI) translates works of fiction and creative
texts from German, French and Welsh. In 2002 she won first place at the
National Eisteddfod with a short story written in Welsh. Her first novel, Someone
Else’s Conflict, was published in 2014, and will be followed in June 2019 by Riverflow,
both published by Honno.
Ros Mendy (MITI) translates marketing materials and
children’s books from German and French. Writing as Ros Woolner, she has had
poems published in journals and anthologies and her poem ‘Sack of Night’ won 2nd
prize in the Wolverhampton Literature Festival poetry competition in 2018. Her
first book of poetry, On the Wing,
was published by Offa’s Press in 2018.
To book a place: Please
email Ros Mendy for a form: translations[at]rosmendy.co.uk
Please join us for our annual
AGM
on 4 April 2019, 2.30-4.00 at Aston University, Room MB 155, Aston University, Main Building
followed by a tea and coffee break and the following talk
‘I am not a resource’:
Strategies
for Sustainable Success in Professional Translation
by
Silke Lührmann
Translation is a challenging task that requires advanced linguistic, intercultural and research skills; even Ludwig Wittgenstein, a thinker not unduly daunted by intellectual complexity, had to concede that ‘[i]t is a difficult business’.
For many professional practitioners, translation is also a labour of love. In the survey that forms the core of my PhD research on working conditions in the current translation market, a number of respondents talk about their passion for ‘the work itself’, and almost 60% strongly disagree with the suggestion that they might ever want to do anything else for a living.
This ‘difficult business’ of translation is also an extremely lucrative one: a multi-billion dollar growth industry dominated by profit-driven corporate LSPs that arguably seek to marginalise highly skilled professional experts as expendable ‘translation resources’. With increasing pressure on deadlines and bottom lines, many survey respondents find themselves working longer hours and/or at greater speed than they would ideally like to, and they worry about the quality they are able to deliver under these conditions.
My survey of almost 300 professional translators from 33 countries yielded a rich diversity of opinions and attitudes as well as some common themes and experiences. In this talk, I will draw on these findings to discuss some of the key points of interest identified by respondents:
-
Stress and enjoyment factors
-
Reductive v. empowering definitions of translators’ professional identities as ‘resources’, ‘service providers’, ‘language experts’ or ‘word artists’
-
Strategies for juggling conflicting demands on translators’ time and attention (clients’ expectations of constant availability and instant responsiveness v. deep focus on translation work)
-
What does sustainable success look like under current (and future) market conditions, and what (more) can be done to help novice translators achieve it?
The Speaker
Silke Lührmann completed her first paid translation (of an opinion piece on the financial markets) in 1998, her first book-length translation in 2005 and her translation degree (MA in Literary Translation from Swansea University) in 2013. She has been working as a professional translator, writer and editor in Germany, New Zealand and the UK for over 20 years. In 2015, she was awarded funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to start a PhD in Translation Studies at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, exploring the impact of recent changes in the translation industry (automation, “massification”) on the working conditions, status and agency of professional translators. She currently combines freelance translation with academic research and occasional teaching/lecturing.
ITI-WMG WINTER WALK 2019
Bewdley, Saturday 26th January 2019 11:30 a.m.
The first walk of 2019 is based on the historic town
of Bewdley and the Wryre Forest. It is an easy 6 mile circular walk with a few
stiles, uphill to start with, then undulating, before descending steadily along
a disused railway, and finally on level ground beside the river. We will be
walking on public footpaths, forest tracks, a cycleway/disused railway line,
and occasionally on quiet country roads. It
is possible to shorten the walk by 1 or 2 miles in the event of bad weather, or
to take an alternative route back if the River Severn is in flood.
Brief description: leaving the car park we first walk
downriver for a short way, before turning westwards to skirt the town on public
footpaths. We enter the Wyre forest at Coppice Gate. Following clearly marked forest
trails we then head in a north-westerly direction to join the disused Tenbury
to Bewdley railway line at Lodge Hill Farm. From there it's downhill until we
join the river Severn at Dowles Bridge from where we return along the North
Worcestershire Path to our starting point.
Meeting point and Parking:
We will meet outside the St. George's
Hall cafe in Load Street car park at 11:30. There are public toilets in the car
park and lots of shops etc. a few yards away. For those who want to stay
afterwards, I suggest we meet for refreshment in The George Hotel, just around
the corner from the car park.
Load
Street Car Park, Bewdley DY12 2AW
Please
make sure you park in the lower (long-stay) car park, and not the upper
(short-stay) car park. The rate for 3 to 6 hours is currently £4.60. I would advise against paying a cheaper rate
of £2.80 for up to 3 hours, as I think this will not allow us enough time.
Walking
boots or stout footwear are recommended on this walk. Also please ensure dogs
are kept on the lead as sheep and cattle may be grazing.
Meet and Greet
Date: 4 October 2018 Time: 4 - 8 pm Venue: Soloman Cutler, Upper Bar, Broad Street, Birmingham
The West Midlands Group of the ITI wants to meet you!
If you are involved in translation or interpreting in the West Midlands or are studying modern foreign languages and specialising in these areas, we want to meet you. The ITI West Midlands Group is a friendly, vibrant group that meets regularly for professional and social events.
Come and join us at the Soloman Cutler on Broad Street to find out more about what the West Midlands Group has planned for the coming year - first drink is on us with your Eventbrite booking form.
Please register on Eventbrite here
SUMMER
WALK 2018 -- New DATE
Kingsbury,
Warwickshire Sunday 19 August 2018 11:30 a.m.
This is an easy 8 mile walk on even ground, on
footpaths, towpaths, and a short section on a road. The theme for this walk is
'birds and water' and we will encounter three types of waterway - lakes, canals
and streams - and three types of birds - waterfowl, terns and songbirds, so
binoculars are a good idea. 
We begin by travelling on the Echills Wood miniature
railway (picture above), which will take us to the starting point of the walk
itself at Far Leys, within the park. A single journey on the train costs £1.00
per head; I have notified the railway company of our group, and they have told
me they may be able to lay on a train (or two) for our exclusive use.
Unfortunately dogs are not permitted on the trains, and so any dog walkers will
have to walk ¾ mile to Far Leys (clearly signposted) on the car-free road that
runs parallel to the railway. We will wait for you when we get off the train
(journey time approx. 10 minutes).
Eating afterwards:
For those who wish to stay on, we will drive the short distance to the Dog
& Doublet canalside pub, Dog Lane, Bodymoor Heath B76 9JD, which we also
pass on the walk.
Walking
boots or stout footwear are recommended, but not essential on this walk. Also
please ensure dogs are kept on the lead as sheep and cattle may be grazing.
*The nearest railway station is Tamworth. If anyone
needs picking up from there, I will be glad to assist.
**The Hall is hosting a fee-paying Napoleonic
Re-enactment weekend on 14th and 15th July, so there may be some restrictions
on access to the Hall, but there should be no obstructions to the route of our
walk.
*The nearest railway station is Tamworth. If anyone
needs picking up from there, I will be glad to assist.
**The Hall is hosting a fee-paying Napoleonic
Re-enactment weekend on 14th and 15th July, so there may be some restrictions
on access to the Hall, but there should be no obstructions to the route of our
walk.
Visit to Coventry Cathedral
Please join us for a social and
cultural get-together in Coventry.
Wednesday 27th June 2018
Meet: Coventry Cathedral at 1.30 pm for guided tour at 1.45 pm.
FREE coffee and cake afterwards
The tour lasts between 1 and 1 ½
hours, and the WMG will be paying for tea/coffee and CAKE in the café
afterwards!
As well as being a place of worship,
Coventry Cathedral is a renowned centre for peace and reconciliation and the
arts.
The cost of the tour is £8 per person.
To book your place, please transfer
£8 to the WMG account by 20th June. Email unichols@ampletranslations.com for payment instructions
AGM 2018
10 May 2018, 3.00-6.00pm at
The Wellington, 37 Bennetts Hill, Birmingham B2 5SN
Agenda
1.
Welcome
9.
AOB
WINTER
WALK 2018
Kenilworth,
Saturday 20th January 2018 11:30 a.m.
The first walk of 2018 is based on the historic town
of Kenilworth and its mediaeval castle. Although 7 miles in length, it is an
easy walk with no stiles, and no climbs or descents of any note. We will be
walking along a disused railway track or quiet tarmaced lanes for half of the
walk. The remainder of the walk (the second half) will be on public footpaths
across fields, where it can get muddy and slippery. If the weather turns nasty, or someone needs to get home earlier, there
is the possibility of shortening the walk to around 4 miles by leaving the
disused railway track and walking on the pavement along Red Lane back to
Kenilworth; however, taking this short cut will mean missing the splendid views
of Kenilworth Castle.
We leave the car park
and walk through Old Kenilworth passing the ruins of its Abbey on the way. We
then walk along Hollis Lane, a quiet country byway with a broad verge, to join
the Coventry Way, a disused railway line. We will stop for a lunch break just
before we leave the old line at Burton Green. We then head south west towards
Rudfyn Manor. We need to take care when
crossing the busy Birmingham Road, the A452, in order to reach the drive to the
Manor. At the Manor, we turn south east and have our first view of
Kenilworth Castle, away in the distance. We gradually approach the Castle from
the north west and encircle its ramparts before finishing back at our starting
point. Take care again when we leave the
English Heritage car park and have to cross the B4103 very close to the finish.
Meeting point and Parking:
We will start from the Queen &
Castle pub at 11:30, where I have made a provisional booking for us to
eat/drink. The address is:
!!New Date!!
WORKING IN DANGER ZONES
Wine Tesseur: TRANSLATING DEVELOPMENT: THE ROLE OF TRANSLATION IN INTERNATIONAL UK-BASED DEVELOPMENT NGOS
Short outline: International NGOs work in highly multilingual contexts, yet languages and translation tend to have a low profile in these organisations, with language and translation policies often not being in place. This talk will explore the role of translation in the delivery of development programmes by drawing on data collected through interviews with staff at four international UK-based development NGOs, including translators and bilingual staff whose main task is not translation.
Wine
is working as a postdoctoral research assistant at the University of Reading on
the AHRC-project "The Listening Zones of NGOs: languages and cultural
knowledge in development programmes", led by Professor Hilary Footitt.
The project is led by Reading University with the University of Portsmouth
and the International NGO training and Research Centre (INTRAC), Oxford.
Maha El-Metwally: DANGER ZONE - a Presentation
by Maha El-Metwally
The talk will tackle the situation of interpreters in Afghanistan and Iraq, the responsibility of the UK and the US towards them and the work of Red T and other organisations that work to help them.
Maha is a conference interpreter and translator who, over the past 17 years, hase worked for a wide range of international organisations, including the European Institutions, the United Nations and the Red Cross. Her languages are Arabic (A), English (B), French and Dutch (C). She is a member of the International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC), ITI and the Chartered Institute of Linguists.
Followed by networking and lunch (location to be
decided)
Cost £5.00, students free.
To register, please email Ulrike, unichols@ampletranslations.com
SUMMER
WALK 2017
Carsington,
Saturday 15th July 2017 11:30 a.m.
This year's summer walk is based in the vicinity of
Carsington Water in the Derbyshire Dales, just outside the boundaries of the
Peak District National Park. The walk offers a variety of terrain, spectacular
views, and industrial archaeology. There will be a lunch-break at Middleton Top
Engine House, where there is a small café and toilets.
Friday 7 April 2017 at
Aston University
2pm Room MB220
It's all Tweet to me.
A panel discussion on the merits or otherwise of social media applied to
our industry.
"Ensuring quality and social media". Our goal is to have a
diverse discussion on whether social media like Twitter can contribute to
quality (in translation) or whether they are merely a phenomenon illustrating
that the "loudest" person "wins".
We expect to start at 2pm, with a quick introduction of the panel
members.
Ulrike Nichols will act as moderator, and our panel consists of:
David Orrego-Carmona – Lecturer in Translation Studies, Aston University
James Brown - Comtec Translations
And, hopefully, Angela Dickson -
ITI board member
-~-~-~-~
The panel debate
will be followed by the ITI West Midlands Group AGM at about 4.30 pm
WINTER WALK 2017
Ludlow, Saturday 4 February 11.30am
This year’s winter walk takes us through the historic town of Ludlow and northwards up the Teme Valley. We’ll have a stop half-way round at the Ludlow Food Centre (good farm shop, takeaway drinks, toilets). The walk is about 6½ miles long and fairly flat though it is likely to be muddy. We’ll set off from the Buttercross at the top of Broad Street in the middle of Ludlow at 11.30. There’s plenty of pay carparks in the town (best to pay for more than 4 hours). Why not come early and meet me for a coffee at nearby Costa Coffee? Or stay on after the walk and explore Ludlow, one of England’s finest old towns. Bring a snack to eat at the halfway stop on the walk if you want but some of us may choose to eat a meal afterwards. The walk will go ahead if the weather is rainy but if snow is forecast I will post email updates.
Please let us know via the e-group if you plan to come or contact me direct if you have any particular concerns or queries.
For more on Ludlow, see http://ludlow.org.uk/
On a personal note, the 2017 WMG walks are likely to be my last because I am planning to move back to the North-West later this year. Fortunately a volunteer has already come forward to take over as walks organiser – Clive Walker, who many of you will already know as our photographer on recent walks. Clive is an experienced walks leader and is based in Tamworth, giving the group the opportunity to explore the northern and eastern sides of our region more.
PLEASE NOTE: Everyone is welcome but participants must consider themselves to be on a private excursion – neither the organisers nor the ITI West Midlands Group can accept any liability for accidents or injuries sustained by anyone involved.
Mike Hanson
07941-389990
_____________________________________________________________________
Outreach at the University of Warwick 2022
A full room on the 27 October for our WMG outreach session with Warwick University translation studies students.Students heard from Phil Jackson, our university outreach coordinator, about his everyday life as a freelance translator and about the benefits of joining both the ITI and our regional group. Sessions at the University of Birmingham and at Aston University are planned for the new year.
Co-working at the Urban Cafe (03/11/22)
What a glorious day in Brum!
Another productive and fun morning was spent co-working with out fabulous ITI WMG colleagues. Cake, conversation, and sage advice was shared, lots of niggling admin done and our website / blog updated. A successful morning for everyone and extra special as we were able to share Luke's birthday too! Join us next time?
Spooky goings on at Kenilworth Castle.. 29/10/22
Our autumn meet up was a spook-tacular day out at Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire. The WMG group covers a vast geographical area, covering Birmingham, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, and parts of Gloucestershire and the North Midlands, so we are trying to organise events in different areas to make it easier for WMG members to connect with us in person.
It was a beautiful, sunny autumn day that really showed Kenilworth Castle off at its best. We met up at the Stables Cafe for coffee before splitting up into small groups to visit the site. Halloween activities organised by English Heritage added to the atmosphere and fancy dress was definitely the order of the day. Lunch was an opportunity to discuss ideas for future events and agenda items for the next committee meeting taking place on the 8th December at our co-working space, the Urban Cafe, Church Street, Birmingham, before our favourite event of the year - The Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market get-together (meeting on the steps of the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery at 5pm). See you there!
Photo (above) is of Bryan and Rob putting the world to rights
A "bostin'" summer social at the Black Country Living Museum
The Black Country Living Museum was the venue for our summer day out on Saturday 23 July 2022. Eight WMG members and guests enjoyed a lovely day out in a great setting, where over 50 shops, houses and other industrial buildings from around the Metropolitan Boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton have been painstakingly relocated to be preserved for future generations.We decided to have two meeting points, the first outside joint-coordinator Sarah Letza's great-grandfather's house at midday, now one of the terraced houses representing the Chainmaker's house. The second meeting point at 1.30pm was at a picnic area next to the Cradley Heath Workers' Institute (or the 'Stute, as my mom used to say!) where we spent a good hour and a half eating our 'snap' and catching up with each other. We were also really pleased to welcome new WMG member, Luke James, who translates from French & Japanese to English. Thanks to everyone who came and were looking forward to our next trip to Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire in the autumn.
Sarah Letza
Co-working (again) at the Urban Cafe
This month's co-working session in Birmingham took place last Thursday, with chats about sport, the bottle packaging process, sumo wrestling, Jae's new ITI Sports' Network, translating literature and...just generally catching up! Lots to talk about stemming from our AGM last week at Aston University too. It's just nice feeling like we're getting back to the new 'normal' at last.
Co-working @ The
Urban Café
The first co-working
session of the year has taken place at The Urban Café on Church Street in
Birmingham. Four members of the group enjoyed work, coffee, cake and company whilst
putting the world – and this blog - to rights! The next session will be on the
21st of April – why not join us?
ITI-WMG
SPRING WALK 2021
Droitwich,
Saturday 22nd May 2021 11:00 a.m.
The first walk of 2021 is based on the historic salt town
of Droitwich, Worcestershire. It is an easy 7-mile circular walk with one stile,
on public footpaths, or on the towpath.
Brief description: leaving the Leisure Centre car park
we first walk beside the Droitwich Barge Canal (re-opened to navigation in
2010) to Vines Park, where various displays explain the history of the salt
mines. We then head north on undulating terrain (this is the section where the
stile occurs) to the hamlet of Hampton Lovett with its Norman church. If open,
it is well worth a visit. We then turn west and walk along the Monarchs Way
through a modern business park – “Creamy, crunchy, crazy” comes to mind! – slightly
uphill to our lunch spot on Jakeman’s Hill. Here we can gaze upon Westwood
Hall with the Malvern Hills in the background. After a break for lunch,
we continue to follow the Monarchs Way, skirting the Hall and walking through
fertile agricultural land on a well-defined footpath. We then cross the river
Salwarpe and the A38 back to our starting point.
Meeting
time and set up: Since we will
not stop for a packed lunch until we are approximately two-thirds of the way
round, we would ask that people plan to arrive earlier than usual so that we
can make a prompt start, i.e., to arrive between 10:30 and 10:45 on
Saturday 22/05/2021. If
you are running late, please call either myself, or Sarah Hudson (07876 641298)
or Phil Jackson (07584 428858) beforehand.Because Government
restrictions still apply, there are three walk leaders for the route, and
dependent on numbers, we will divide you into groups, leaving at around
5-minute intervals.
Parking:
We
aim to set off at 11:00 from the car park of:
Droitwich
Spa Leisure Centre, Briar Mill, Droitwich WR9 0RZ.
Please
park your car in the overflow area to the rear of the car park. The leisure
centre has a vending machine and toilets. Due to Covid restrictions their staff have asked that we use the toilet
facilities on an individual basis, ideally scanning the QR code (linked to the
NHS Test and Trace App) as you enter the building. There is no charge for the car park,
and the route to the leisure centre is clearly signposted in the town.
Arriving
by train:
The
nearest train station is Droitwich. The train station is close to our starting
point, so if you wish to come by train, please let us know in advance and we
will gladly collect you from the station.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Because of Covid restrictions we have not made any
arrangements for food or drink afterwards, but there are plenty of good eating
and drinking outlets nearby.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Walking boots or stout footwear are
recommended on this walk. Also please ensure dogs are kept on the lead as sheep
and cattle may be grazing.
PLEASE NOTE: Everyone is welcome, but participants
must consider themselves to be on a private excursion - neither the organisers
nor the ITI West Midlands Group can accept any liability for accidents or
injuries sustained by anyone involved.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clive
Walker tel. 07866 201873 or clive@clivewalkertranslations.co.uk
ITI-WMG
SUMMER WALK 2020
Moira,
Saturday 5th September 2020 11:30 a.m.
The second walk of 2020 takes place in The National
Forest. It is an easy 9-mile circular walk on public footpaths, towpaths or on
quiet rural roads. The walk could be shortened in the case of bad weather.
Brief description:
we start in Leicestershire at Moira Furnace (photo top left) and first follow
an isolated section of the Ashby Canal to Conkers, the heart of the National
Forest. From there we briefly cross into South Derbyshire where we walk round the
south shore of the vast Albert Village Lake (photo top right). After a brief waterside
break, we cross back into Leicestershire and walk through woodland and across
farmland. We will stop for a second break at Hicks Lodge, a forestry centre
with toilet and café facilities (hopefully open!). We then continue through
Oakthorpe Colliery Picnic Site and later the Saltersford Valley, before
returning to our starting point via a disused railway and the towpath.
Starting at Moira Furnace (bottom left), we follow the towpath curving right
to Conkers just off the top of the picture
Meeting
point and Parking:
ITI-WMG
WINTER WALK 2020
Pershore,
Saturday 18th January 2020 11:30 a.m.
The first walk of 2020 is based on the Georgian town
of Pershore, Worcestershire. It is an easy 6 ½ mile circular walk with a few
stiles, on public footpaths or on quiet rural roads. On a clear day you can see
the outline of the Malvern Hills, and closer at hand the imposing ramparts of
Bredon Hill.
Studying languages? Considering a career as a translator or
interpreter?
The West Midlands Group of the ITI (Institute of Translation and
Interpreting) invites you to join them for a:
Meet&Greet
When: 23 October from 5.30-8.30pm
Come and find out what the ITI and the WMG do and have a chat with
translators and interpreters specialising in a wide range of languages and
areas of expertise.
The first
drink is on us!
All you have to do is register and bring your ticket. Please, register at Eventbrite
We look forward to seeing you and a friend there!
SUMMER
WALK 2019
This is an easy 8
mile walk on even ground, on footpaths, towpaths, and a short section on a
road. There are several opportunities to take a short cut on route, and finding
your own way back is straightforward.
Walking
boots or stout footwear are recommended, but not essential on this walk. Also
please ensure dogs are kept on the lead as sheep and cattle may be grazing.
PLEASE NOTE: Everyone is welcome but participants must
consider themselves to be on a private excursion - neither the organisers nor
the ITI West Midlands Group can accept any liability for accidents or injuries
sustained by anyone involved.
Creative writing
workshop in Birmingham
Saturday 29th June 2019 (10 am – 4 pm)
Get
creative, indulge your love of language, play with words and discover your own
voice! Join Ros Mendy and Alison Layland for a fun day of creative writing
prompts, discussions and exercises in a supportive atmosphere. No previous
creative writing experience necessary. The workshop will be run in English, but
feel free to write in any language(s) you like.
Venue
The Birmingham & Midland Institute (BMI) is a Grade II*
listed building in the heart of Birmingham, a 15-minute walk from New Street
station. The room is fully accessible for wheelchair users.
Prices
(includes lunch and refreshments)
About the workshop
leaders
Alison Layland (MITI) translates works of fiction and creative
texts from German, French and Welsh. In 2002 she won first place at the
National Eisteddfod with a short story written in Welsh. Her first novel, Someone
Else’s Conflict, was published in 2014, and will be followed in June 2019 by Riverflow,
both published by Honno.
Ros Mendy (MITI) translates marketing materials and
children’s books from German and French. Writing as Ros Woolner, she has had
poems published in journals and anthologies and her poem ‘Sack of Night’ won 2nd
prize in the Wolverhampton Literature Festival poetry competition in 2018. Her
first book of poetry, On the Wing,
was published by Offa’s Press in 2018.
To book a place: Please
email Ros Mendy for a form: translations[at]rosmendy.co.uk
Please join us for our annual
AGM
on 4 April 2019, 2.30-4.00 at Aston University, Room MB 155, Aston University, Main Building
followed by a tea and coffee break and the following talk
‘I am not a resource’:
Strategies
for Sustainable Success in Professional Translation
by
Silke Lührmann
Translation is a challenging task that requires advanced linguistic, intercultural and research skills; even Ludwig Wittgenstein, a thinker not unduly daunted by intellectual complexity, had to concede that ‘[i]t is a difficult business’.
For many professional practitioners, translation is also a labour of love. In the survey that forms the core of my PhD research on working conditions in the current translation market, a number of respondents talk about their passion for ‘the work itself’, and almost 60% strongly disagree with the suggestion that they might ever want to do anything else for a living.
This ‘difficult business’ of translation is also an extremely lucrative one: a multi-billion dollar growth industry dominated by profit-driven corporate LSPs that arguably seek to marginalise highly skilled professional experts as expendable ‘translation resources’. With increasing pressure on deadlines and bottom lines, many survey respondents find themselves working longer hours and/or at greater speed than they would ideally like to, and they worry about the quality they are able to deliver under these conditions.
My survey of almost 300 professional translators from 33 countries yielded a rich diversity of opinions and attitudes as well as some common themes and experiences. In this talk, I will draw on these findings to discuss some of the key points of interest identified by respondents:
-
Stress and enjoyment factors
-
Reductive v. empowering definitions of translators’ professional identities as ‘resources’, ‘service providers’, ‘language experts’ or ‘word artists’
-
Strategies for juggling conflicting demands on translators’ time and attention (clients’ expectations of constant availability and instant responsiveness v. deep focus on translation work)
-
What does sustainable success look like under current (and future) market conditions, and what (more) can be done to help novice translators achieve it?
The Speaker
Silke Lührmann completed her first paid translation (of an opinion piece on the financial markets) in 1998, her first book-length translation in 2005 and her translation degree (MA in Literary Translation from Swansea University) in 2013. She has been working as a professional translator, writer and editor in Germany, New Zealand and the UK for over 20 years. In 2015, she was awarded funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to start a PhD in Translation Studies at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, exploring the impact of recent changes in the translation industry (automation, “massification”) on the working conditions, status and agency of professional translators. She currently combines freelance translation with academic research and occasional teaching/lecturing.
ITI-WMG WINTER WALK 2019
Bewdley, Saturday 26th January 2019 11:30 a.m.
The first walk of 2019 is based on the historic town
of Bewdley and the Wryre Forest. It is an easy 6 mile circular walk with a few
stiles, uphill to start with, then undulating, before descending steadily along
a disused railway, and finally on level ground beside the river. We will be
walking on public footpaths, forest tracks, a cycleway/disused railway line,
and occasionally on quiet country roads. It
is possible to shorten the walk by 1 or 2 miles in the event of bad weather, or
to take an alternative route back if the River Severn is in flood.
Brief description: leaving the car park we first walk
downriver for a short way, before turning westwards to skirt the town on public
footpaths. We enter the Wyre forest at Coppice Gate. Following clearly marked forest
trails we then head in a north-westerly direction to join the disused Tenbury
to Bewdley railway line at Lodge Hill Farm. From there it's downhill until we
join the river Severn at Dowles Bridge from where we return along the North
Worcestershire Path to our starting point.
Meeting point and Parking:
We will meet outside the St. George's
Hall cafe in Load Street car park at 11:30. There are public toilets in the car
park and lots of shops etc. a few yards away. For those who want to stay
afterwards, I suggest we meet for refreshment in The George Hotel, just around
the corner from the car park.
Load
Street Car Park, Bewdley DY12 2AW
Please
make sure you park in the lower (long-stay) car park, and not the upper
(short-stay) car park. The rate for 3 to 6 hours is currently £4.60. I would advise against paying a cheaper rate
of £2.80 for up to 3 hours, as I think this will not allow us enough time.
Walking
boots or stout footwear are recommended on this walk. Also please ensure dogs
are kept on the lead as sheep and cattle may be grazing.
Meet and Greet
Date: 4 October 2018 Time: 4 - 8 pm Venue: Soloman Cutler, Upper Bar, Broad Street, Birmingham
The West Midlands Group of the ITI wants to meet you!
If you are involved in translation or interpreting in the West Midlands or are studying modern foreign languages and specialising in these areas, we want to meet you. The ITI West Midlands Group is a friendly, vibrant group that meets regularly for professional and social events.
Come and join us at the Soloman Cutler on Broad Street to find out more about what the West Midlands Group has planned for the coming year - first drink is on us with your Eventbrite booking form.
Please register on Eventbrite here
SUMMER
WALK 2018 -- New DATE
Kingsbury,
Warwickshire Sunday 19 August 2018 11:30 a.m.
This is an easy 8 mile walk on even ground, on
footpaths, towpaths, and a short section on a road. The theme for this walk is
'birds and water' and we will encounter three types of waterway - lakes, canals
and streams - and three types of birds - waterfowl, terns and songbirds, so
binoculars are a good idea.
Eating afterwards:
For those who wish to stay on, we will drive the short distance to the Dog
& Doublet canalside pub, Dog Lane, Bodymoor Heath B76 9JD, which we also
pass on the walk.
Walking
boots or stout footwear are recommended, but not essential on this walk. Also
please ensure dogs are kept on the lead as sheep and cattle may be grazing.
*The nearest railway station is Tamworth. If anyone
needs picking up from there, I will be glad to assist.
**The Hall is hosting a fee-paying Napoleonic
Re-enactment weekend on 14th and 15th July, so there may be some restrictions
on access to the Hall, but there should be no obstructions to the route of our
walk.
*The nearest railway station is Tamworth. If anyone
needs picking up from there, I will be glad to assist.
**The Hall is hosting a fee-paying Napoleonic
Re-enactment weekend on 14th and 15th July, so there may be some restrictions
on access to the Hall, but there should be no obstructions to the route of our
walk.
Visit to Coventry Cathedral
Please join us for a social and
cultural get-together in Coventry.
Wednesday 27th June 2018
Meet: Coventry Cathedral at 1.30 pm for guided tour at 1.45 pm.
FREE coffee and cake afterwards
The tour lasts between 1 and 1 ½
hours, and the WMG will be paying for tea/coffee and CAKE in the café
afterwards!
As well as being a place of worship,
Coventry Cathedral is a renowned centre for peace and reconciliation and the
arts.
The cost of the tour is £8 per person.
To book your place, please transfer
£8 to the WMG account by 20th June. Email unichols@ampletranslations.com for payment instructions
AGM 2018
10 May 2018, 3.00-6.00pm at
The Wellington, 37 Bennetts Hill, Birmingham B2 5SN
Agenda
1.
Welcome
9.
AOB
WINTER
WALK 2018
Kenilworth,
Saturday 20th January 2018 11:30 a.m.
The first walk of 2018 is based on the historic town
of Kenilworth and its mediaeval castle. Although 7 miles in length, it is an
easy walk with no stiles, and no climbs or descents of any note. We will be
walking along a disused railway track or quiet tarmaced lanes for half of the
walk. The remainder of the walk (the second half) will be on public footpaths
across fields, where it can get muddy and slippery. If the weather turns nasty, or someone needs to get home earlier, there
is the possibility of shortening the walk to around 4 miles by leaving the
disused railway track and walking on the pavement along Red Lane back to
Kenilworth; however, taking this short cut will mean missing the splendid views
of Kenilworth Castle.
We leave the car park
and walk through Old Kenilworth passing the ruins of its Abbey on the way. We
then walk along Hollis Lane, a quiet country byway with a broad verge, to join
the Coventry Way, a disused railway line. We will stop for a lunch break just
before we leave the old line at Burton Green. We then head south west towards
Rudfyn Manor. We need to take care when
crossing the busy Birmingham Road, the A452, in order to reach the drive to the
Manor. At the Manor, we turn south east and have our first view of
Kenilworth Castle, away in the distance. We gradually approach the Castle from
the north west and encircle its ramparts before finishing back at our starting
point. Take care again when we leave the
English Heritage car park and have to cross the B4103 very close to the finish.
Meeting point and Parking:
We will start from the Queen &
Castle pub at 11:30, where I have made a provisional booking for us to
eat/drink. The address is:
!!New Date!!
WORKING IN DANGER ZONES
Wine Tesseur: TRANSLATING DEVELOPMENT: THE ROLE OF TRANSLATION IN INTERNATIONAL UK-BASED DEVELOPMENT NGOS
Short outline: International NGOs work in highly multilingual contexts, yet languages and translation tend to have a low profile in these organisations, with language and translation policies often not being in place. This talk will explore the role of translation in the delivery of development programmes by drawing on data collected through interviews with staff at four international UK-based development NGOs, including translators and bilingual staff whose main task is not translation.
Wine
is working as a postdoctoral research assistant at the University of Reading on
the AHRC-project "The Listening Zones of NGOs: languages and cultural
knowledge in development programmes", led by Professor Hilary Footitt.
The project is led by Reading University with the University of Portsmouth
and the International NGO training and Research Centre (INTRAC), Oxford.
Maha El-Metwally: DANGER ZONE - a Presentation
by Maha El-Metwally
The talk will tackle the situation of interpreters in Afghanistan and Iraq, the responsibility of the UK and the US towards them and the work of Red T and other organisations that work to help them.
Maha is a conference interpreter and translator who, over the past 17 years, hase worked for a wide range of international organisations, including the European Institutions, the United Nations and the Red Cross. Her languages are Arabic (A), English (B), French and Dutch (C). She is a member of the International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC), ITI and the Chartered Institute of Linguists.
Followed by networking and lunch (location to be
decided)
Cost £5.00, students free.
To register, please email Ulrike, unichols@ampletranslations.com
SUMMER
WALK 2017
Carsington,
Saturday 15th July 2017 11:30 a.m.
This year's summer walk is based in the vicinity of
Carsington Water in the Derbyshire Dales, just outside the boundaries of the
Peak District National Park. The walk offers a variety of terrain, spectacular
views, and industrial archaeology. There will be a lunch-break at Middleton Top
Engine House, where there is a small café and toilets.
Friday 7 April 2017 at
Aston University
2pm Room MB220
It's all Tweet to me.
A panel discussion on the merits or otherwise of social media applied to
our industry.
"Ensuring quality and social media". Our goal is to have a
diverse discussion on whether social media like Twitter can contribute to
quality (in translation) or whether they are merely a phenomenon illustrating
that the "loudest" person "wins".
We expect to start at 2pm, with a quick introduction of the panel
members.
Ulrike Nichols will act as moderator, and our panel consists of:
David Orrego-Carmona – Lecturer in Translation Studies, Aston University
James Brown - Comtec Translations
And, hopefully, Angela Dickson -
ITI board member
-~-~-~-~
The panel debate
will be followed by the ITI West Midlands Group AGM at about 4.30 pm
WINTER WALK 2017
Ludlow, Saturday 4 February 11.30am
This year’s winter walk takes us through the historic town of Ludlow and northwards up the Teme Valley. We’ll have a stop half-way round at the Ludlow Food Centre (good farm shop, takeaway drinks, toilets). The walk is about 6½ miles long and fairly flat though it is likely to be muddy. We’ll set off from the Buttercross at the top of Broad Street in the middle of Ludlow at 11.30. There’s plenty of pay carparks in the town (best to pay for more than 4 hours). Why not come early and meet me for a coffee at nearby Costa Coffee? Or stay on after the walk and explore Ludlow, one of England’s finest old towns. Bring a snack to eat at the halfway stop on the walk if you want but some of us may choose to eat a meal afterwards. The walk will go ahead if the weather is rainy but if snow is forecast I will post email updates.
Please let us know via the e-group if you plan to come or contact me direct if you have any particular concerns or queries.
For more on Ludlow, see http://ludlow.org.uk/
On a personal note, the 2017 WMG walks are likely to be my last because I am planning to move back to the North-West later this year. Fortunately a volunteer has already come forward to take over as walks organiser – Clive Walker, who many of you will already know as our photographer on recent walks. Clive is an experienced walks leader and is based in Tamworth, giving the group the opportunity to explore the northern and eastern sides of our region more.
PLEASE NOTE: Everyone is welcome but participants must consider themselves to be on a private excursion – neither the organisers nor the ITI West Midlands Group can accept any liability for accidents or injuries sustained by anyone involved.
Mike Hanson
07941-389990
_____________________________________________________________________
Outreach at the University of Warwick 2022
A full room on the 27 October for our WMG outreach session with Warwick University translation studies students.Students heard from Phil Jackson, our university outreach coordinator, about his everyday life as a freelance translator and about the benefits of joining both the ITI and our regional group. Sessions at the University of Birmingham and at Aston University are planned for the new year.
Co-working at the Urban Cafe (03/11/22)
What a glorious day in Brum!
Another productive and fun morning was spent co-working with out fabulous ITI WMG colleagues. Cake, conversation, and sage advice was shared, lots of niggling admin done and our website / blog updated. A successful morning for everyone and extra special as we were able to share Luke's birthday too! Join us next time?
Spooky goings on at Kenilworth Castle.. 29/10/22
Our autumn meet up was a spook-tacular day out at Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire. The WMG group covers a vast geographical area, covering Birmingham, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, and parts of Gloucestershire and the North Midlands, so we are trying to organise events in different areas to make it easier for WMG members to connect with us in person.
It was a beautiful, sunny autumn day that really showed Kenilworth Castle off at its best. We met up at the Stables Cafe for coffee before splitting up into small groups to visit the site. Halloween activities organised by English Heritage added to the atmosphere and fancy dress was definitely the order of the day. Lunch was an opportunity to discuss ideas for future events and agenda items for the next committee meeting taking place on the 8th December at our co-working space, the Urban Cafe, Church Street, Birmingham, before our favourite event of the year - The Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market get-together (meeting on the steps of the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery at 5pm). See you there!
Photo (above) is of Bryan and Rob putting the world to rights
A "bostin'" summer social at the Black Country Living Museum
The Black Country Living Museum was the venue for our summer day out on Saturday 23 July 2022. Eight WMG members and guests enjoyed a lovely day out in a great setting, where over 50 shops, houses and other industrial buildings from around the Metropolitan Boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton have been painstakingly relocated to be preserved for future generations.We decided to have two meeting points, the first outside joint-coordinator Sarah Letza's great-grandfather's house at midday, now one of the terraced houses representing the Chainmaker's house. The second meeting point at 1.30pm was at a picnic area next to the Cradley Heath Workers' Institute (or the 'Stute, as my mom used to say!) where we spent a good hour and a half eating our 'snap' and catching up with each other. We were also really pleased to welcome new WMG member, Luke James, who translates from French & Japanese to English. Thanks to everyone who came and were looking forward to our next trip to Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire in the autumn.
Sarah Letza
Co-working (again) at the Urban Cafe
This month's co-working session in Birmingham took place last Thursday, with chats about sport, the bottle packaging process, sumo wrestling, Jae's new ITI Sports' Network, translating literature and...just generally catching up! Lots to talk about stemming from our AGM last week at Aston University too. It's just nice feeling like we're getting back to the new 'normal' at last.
Co-working @ The
Urban Café
The first co-working
session of the year has taken place at The Urban Café on Church Street in
Birmingham. Four members of the group enjoyed work, coffee, cake and company whilst
putting the world – and this blog - to rights! The next session will be on the
21st of April – why not join us?
ITI-WMG
SPRING WALK 2021
Droitwich,
Saturday 22nd May 2021 11:00 a.m.
The first walk of 2021 is based on the historic salt town
of Droitwich, Worcestershire. It is an easy 7-mile circular walk with one stile,
on public footpaths, or on the towpath.
Brief description: leaving the Leisure Centre car park
we first walk beside the Droitwich Barge Canal (re-opened to navigation in
2010) to Vines Park, where various displays explain the history of the salt
mines. We then head north on undulating terrain (this is the section where the
stile occurs) to the hamlet of Hampton Lovett with its Norman church. If open,
it is well worth a visit. We then turn west and walk along the Monarchs Way
through a modern business park – “Creamy, crunchy, crazy” comes to mind! – slightly
uphill to our lunch spot on Jakeman’s Hill. Here we can gaze upon Westwood
Hall with the Malvern Hills in the background. After a break for lunch,
we continue to follow the Monarchs Way, skirting the Hall and walking through
fertile agricultural land on a well-defined footpath. We then cross the river
Salwarpe and the A38 back to our starting point.
Meeting
time and set up: Since we will
not stop for a packed lunch until we are approximately two-thirds of the way
round, we would ask that people plan to arrive earlier than usual so that we
can make a prompt start, i.e., to arrive between 10:30 and 10:45 on
Saturday 22/05/2021. If
you are running late, please call either myself, or Sarah Hudson (07876 641298)
or Phil Jackson (07584 428858) beforehand.Because Government
restrictions still apply, there are three walk leaders for the route, and
dependent on numbers, we will divide you into groups, leaving at around
5-minute intervals.
Parking:
We
aim to set off at 11:00 from the car park of:
Droitwich
Spa Leisure Centre, Briar Mill, Droitwich WR9 0RZ.
Please
park your car in the overflow area to the rear of the car park. The leisure
centre has a vending machine and toilets. Due to Covid restrictions their staff have asked that we use the toilet
facilities on an individual basis, ideally scanning the QR code (linked to the
NHS Test and Trace App) as you enter the building. There is no charge for the car park,
and the route to the leisure centre is clearly signposted in the town.
Arriving
by train:
The
nearest train station is Droitwich. The train station is close to our starting
point, so if you wish to come by train, please let us know in advance and we
will gladly collect you from the station.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Because of Covid restrictions we have not made any
arrangements for food or drink afterwards, but there are plenty of good eating
and drinking outlets nearby.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Walking boots or stout footwear are
recommended on this walk. Also please ensure dogs are kept on the lead as sheep
and cattle may be grazing.
PLEASE NOTE: Everyone is welcome, but participants
must consider themselves to be on a private excursion - neither the organisers
nor the ITI West Midlands Group can accept any liability for accidents or
injuries sustained by anyone involved.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clive
Walker tel. 07866 201873 or clive@clivewalkertranslations.co.uk
ITI-WMG
SUMMER WALK 2020
Moira,
Saturday 5th September 2020 11:30 a.m.
The second walk of 2020 takes place in The National
Forest. It is an easy 9-mile circular walk on public footpaths, towpaths or on
quiet rural roads. The walk could be shortened in the case of bad weather.
Brief description:
we start in Leicestershire at Moira Furnace (photo top left) and first follow
an isolated section of the Ashby Canal to Conkers, the heart of the National
Forest. From there we briefly cross into South Derbyshire where we walk round the
south shore of the vast Albert Village Lake (photo top right). After a brief waterside
break, we cross back into Leicestershire and walk through woodland and across
farmland. We will stop for a second break at Hicks Lodge, a forestry centre
with toilet and café facilities (hopefully open!). We then continue through
Oakthorpe Colliery Picnic Site and later the Saltersford Valley, before
returning to our starting point via a disused railway and the towpath.
Starting at Moira Furnace (bottom left), we follow the towpath curving right
to Conkers just off the top of the picture
Meeting
point and Parking:
ITI-WMG
WINTER WALK 2020
Pershore,
Saturday 18th January 2020 11:30 a.m.
The first walk of 2020 is based on the Georgian town
of Pershore, Worcestershire. It is an easy 6 ½ mile circular walk with a few
stiles, on public footpaths or on quiet rural roads. On a clear day you can see
the outline of the Malvern Hills, and closer at hand the imposing ramparts of
Bredon Hill.
Studying languages? Considering a career as a translator or
interpreter?
The West Midlands Group of the ITI (Institute of Translation and
Interpreting) invites you to join them for a:
Meet&Greet
When: 23 October from 5.30-8.30pm
Come and find out what the ITI and the WMG do and have a chat with
translators and interpreters specialising in a wide range of languages and
areas of expertise.
The first
drink is on us!
All you have to do is register and bring your ticket. Please, register at Eventbrite
We look forward to seeing you and a friend there!
SUMMER
WALK 2019
This is an easy 8
mile walk on even ground, on footpaths, towpaths, and a short section on a
road. There are several opportunities to take a short cut on route, and finding
your own way back is straightforward.
Walking
boots or stout footwear are recommended, but not essential on this walk. Also
please ensure dogs are kept on the lead as sheep and cattle may be grazing.
PLEASE NOTE: Everyone is welcome but participants must
consider themselves to be on a private excursion - neither the organisers nor
the ITI West Midlands Group can accept any liability for accidents or injuries
sustained by anyone involved.
Creative writing
workshop in Birmingham
Saturday 29th June 2019 (10 am – 4 pm)
Get
creative, indulge your love of language, play with words and discover your own
voice! Join Ros Mendy and Alison Layland for a fun day of creative writing
prompts, discussions and exercises in a supportive atmosphere. No previous
creative writing experience necessary. The workshop will be run in English, but
feel free to write in any language(s) you like.
Venue
The Birmingham & Midland Institute (BMI) is a Grade II*
listed building in the heart of Birmingham, a 15-minute walk from New Street
station. The room is fully accessible for wheelchair users.
Prices
(includes lunch and refreshments)
About the workshop
leaders
Alison Layland (MITI) translates works of fiction and creative
texts from German, French and Welsh. In 2002 she won first place at the
National Eisteddfod with a short story written in Welsh. Her first novel, Someone
Else’s Conflict, was published in 2014, and will be followed in June 2019 by Riverflow,
both published by Honno.
Ros Mendy (MITI) translates marketing materials and
children’s books from German and French. Writing as Ros Woolner, she has had
poems published in journals and anthologies and her poem ‘Sack of Night’ won 2nd
prize in the Wolverhampton Literature Festival poetry competition in 2018. Her
first book of poetry, On the Wing,
was published by Offa’s Press in 2018.
To book a place: Please
email Ros Mendy for a form: translations[at]rosmendy.co.uk
Please join us for our annual
AGM
on 4 April 2019, 2.30-4.00 at Aston University, Room MB 155, Aston University, Main Building
followed by a tea and coffee break and the following talk
‘I am not a resource’:
Strategies
for Sustainable Success in Professional Translation
by
Silke Lührmann
Translation is a challenging task that requires advanced linguistic, intercultural and research skills; even Ludwig Wittgenstein, a thinker not unduly daunted by intellectual complexity, had to concede that ‘[i]t is a difficult business’.
For many professional practitioners, translation is also a labour of love. In the survey that forms the core of my PhD research on working conditions in the current translation market, a number of respondents talk about their passion for ‘the work itself’, and almost 60% strongly disagree with the suggestion that they might ever want to do anything else for a living.
This ‘difficult business’ of translation is also an extremely lucrative one: a multi-billion dollar growth industry dominated by profit-driven corporate LSPs that arguably seek to marginalise highly skilled professional experts as expendable ‘translation resources’. With increasing pressure on deadlines and bottom lines, many survey respondents find themselves working longer hours and/or at greater speed than they would ideally like to, and they worry about the quality they are able to deliver under these conditions.
My survey of almost 300 professional translators from 33 countries yielded a rich diversity of opinions and attitudes as well as some common themes and experiences. In this talk, I will draw on these findings to discuss some of the key points of interest identified by respondents:
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Stress and enjoyment factors
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Reductive v. empowering definitions of translators’ professional identities as ‘resources’, ‘service providers’, ‘language experts’ or ‘word artists’
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Strategies for juggling conflicting demands on translators’ time and attention (clients’ expectations of constant availability and instant responsiveness v. deep focus on translation work)
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What does sustainable success look like under current (and future) market conditions, and what (more) can be done to help novice translators achieve it?
The Speaker
Silke Lührmann completed her first paid translation (of an opinion piece on the financial markets) in 1998, her first book-length translation in 2005 and her translation degree (MA in Literary Translation from Swansea University) in 2013. She has been working as a professional translator, writer and editor in Germany, New Zealand and the UK for over 20 years. In 2015, she was awarded funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to start a PhD in Translation Studies at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, exploring the impact of recent changes in the translation industry (automation, “massification”) on the working conditions, status and agency of professional translators. She currently combines freelance translation with academic research and occasional teaching/lecturing.
ITI-WMG WINTER WALK 2019
Bewdley, Saturday 26th January 2019 11:30 a.m.
The first walk of 2019 is based on the historic town
of Bewdley and the Wryre Forest. It is an easy 6 mile circular walk with a few
stiles, uphill to start with, then undulating, before descending steadily along
a disused railway, and finally on level ground beside the river. We will be
walking on public footpaths, forest tracks, a cycleway/disused railway line,
and occasionally on quiet country roads. It
is possible to shorten the walk by 1 or 2 miles in the event of bad weather, or
to take an alternative route back if the River Severn is in flood.
Brief description: leaving the car park we first walk
downriver for a short way, before turning westwards to skirt the town on public
footpaths. We enter the Wyre forest at Coppice Gate. Following clearly marked forest
trails we then head in a north-westerly direction to join the disused Tenbury
to Bewdley railway line at Lodge Hill Farm. From there it's downhill until we
join the river Severn at Dowles Bridge from where we return along the North
Worcestershire Path to our starting point.
Meeting point and Parking:
We will meet outside the St. George's
Hall cafe in Load Street car park at 11:30. There are public toilets in the car
park and lots of shops etc. a few yards away. For those who want to stay
afterwards, I suggest we meet for refreshment in The George Hotel, just around
the corner from the car park.
Load
Street Car Park, Bewdley DY12 2AW
Please
make sure you park in the lower (long-stay) car park, and not the upper
(short-stay) car park. The rate for 3 to 6 hours is currently £4.60. I would advise against paying a cheaper rate
of £2.80 for up to 3 hours, as I think this will not allow us enough time.
Walking
boots or stout footwear are recommended on this walk. Also please ensure dogs
are kept on the lead as sheep and cattle may be grazing.
Meet and Greet
Date: 4 October 2018 Time: 4 - 8 pm Venue: Soloman Cutler, Upper Bar, Broad Street, Birmingham
The West Midlands Group of the ITI wants to meet you!
If you are involved in translation or interpreting in the West Midlands or are studying modern foreign languages and specialising in these areas, we want to meet you. The ITI West Midlands Group is a friendly, vibrant group that meets regularly for professional and social events.
Come and join us at the Soloman Cutler on Broad Street to find out more about what the West Midlands Group has planned for the coming year - first drink is on us with your Eventbrite booking form.
Please register on Eventbrite here
SUMMER
WALK 2018 -- New DATE
Kingsbury,
Warwickshire Sunday 19 August 2018 11:30 a.m.
This is an easy 8 mile walk on even ground, on
footpaths, towpaths, and a short section on a road. The theme for this walk is
'birds and water' and we will encounter three types of waterway - lakes, canals
and streams - and three types of birds - waterfowl, terns and songbirds, so
binoculars are a good idea.
Eating afterwards:
For those who wish to stay on, we will drive the short distance to the Dog
& Doublet canalside pub, Dog Lane, Bodymoor Heath B76 9JD, which we also
pass on the walk.
Walking
boots or stout footwear are recommended, but not essential on this walk. Also
please ensure dogs are kept on the lead as sheep and cattle may be grazing.
*The nearest railway station is Tamworth. If anyone
needs picking up from there, I will be glad to assist.
**The Hall is hosting a fee-paying Napoleonic
Re-enactment weekend on 14th and 15th July, so there may be some restrictions
on access to the Hall, but there should be no obstructions to the route of our
walk.
*The nearest railway station is Tamworth. If anyone
needs picking up from there, I will be glad to assist.
**The Hall is hosting a fee-paying Napoleonic
Re-enactment weekend on 14th and 15th July, so there may be some restrictions
on access to the Hall, but there should be no obstructions to the route of our
walk.
Visit to Coventry Cathedral
Please join us for a social and
cultural get-together in Coventry.
Wednesday 27th June 2018
Meet: Coventry Cathedral at 1.30 pm for guided tour at 1.45 pm.
FREE coffee and cake afterwards
The tour lasts between 1 and 1 ½
hours, and the WMG will be paying for tea/coffee and CAKE in the café
afterwards!
As well as being a place of worship,
Coventry Cathedral is a renowned centre for peace and reconciliation and the
arts.
The cost of the tour is £8 per person.
To book your place, please transfer
£8 to the WMG account by 20th June. Email unichols@ampletranslations.com for payment instructions
AGM 2018
10 May 2018, 3.00-6.00pm at
The Wellington, 37 Bennetts Hill, Birmingham B2 5SN
Agenda
1.
Welcome
9.
AOB
WINTER
WALK 2018
Kenilworth,
Saturday 20th January 2018 11:30 a.m.
The first walk of 2018 is based on the historic town
of Kenilworth and its mediaeval castle. Although 7 miles in length, it is an
easy walk with no stiles, and no climbs or descents of any note. We will be
walking along a disused railway track or quiet tarmaced lanes for half of the
walk. The remainder of the walk (the second half) will be on public footpaths
across fields, where it can get muddy and slippery. If the weather turns nasty, or someone needs to get home earlier, there
is the possibility of shortening the walk to around 4 miles by leaving the
disused railway track and walking on the pavement along Red Lane back to
Kenilworth; however, taking this short cut will mean missing the splendid views
of Kenilworth Castle.
We leave the car park
and walk through Old Kenilworth passing the ruins of its Abbey on the way. We
then walk along Hollis Lane, a quiet country byway with a broad verge, to join
the Coventry Way, a disused railway line. We will stop for a lunch break just
before we leave the old line at Burton Green. We then head south west towards
Rudfyn Manor. We need to take care when
crossing the busy Birmingham Road, the A452, in order to reach the drive to the
Manor. At the Manor, we turn south east and have our first view of
Kenilworth Castle, away in the distance. We gradually approach the Castle from
the north west and encircle its ramparts before finishing back at our starting
point. Take care again when we leave the
English Heritage car park and have to cross the B4103 very close to the finish.
Meeting point and Parking:
We will start from the Queen &
Castle pub at 11:30, where I have made a provisional booking for us to
eat/drink. The address is:
!!New Date!!
WORKING IN DANGER ZONES
Wine Tesseur: TRANSLATING DEVELOPMENT: THE ROLE OF TRANSLATION IN INTERNATIONAL UK-BASED DEVELOPMENT NGOS
Short outline: International NGOs work in highly multilingual contexts, yet languages and translation tend to have a low profile in these organisations, with language and translation policies often not being in place. This talk will explore the role of translation in the delivery of development programmes by drawing on data collected through interviews with staff at four international UK-based development NGOs, including translators and bilingual staff whose main task is not translation.
Wine
is working as a postdoctoral research assistant at the University of Reading on
the AHRC-project "The Listening Zones of NGOs: languages and cultural
knowledge in development programmes", led by Professor Hilary Footitt.
The project is led by Reading University with the University of Portsmouth
and the International NGO training and Research Centre (INTRAC), Oxford.
Maha El-Metwally: DANGER ZONE - a Presentation
by Maha El-Metwally
The talk will tackle the situation of interpreters in Afghanistan and Iraq, the responsibility of the UK and the US towards them and the work of Red T and other organisations that work to help them.
Maha is a conference interpreter and translator who, over the past 17 years, hase worked for a wide range of international organisations, including the European Institutions, the United Nations and the Red Cross. Her languages are Arabic (A), English (B), French and Dutch (C). She is a member of the International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC), ITI and the Chartered Institute of Linguists.
Followed by networking and lunch (location to be
decided)
Cost £5.00, students free.
To register, please email Ulrike, unichols@ampletranslations.com
SUMMER
WALK 2017
Carsington,
Saturday 15th July 2017 11:30 a.m.
This year's summer walk is based in the vicinity of
Carsington Water in the Derbyshire Dales, just outside the boundaries of the
Peak District National Park. The walk offers a variety of terrain, spectacular
views, and industrial archaeology. There will be a lunch-break at Middleton Top
Engine House, where there is a small café and toilets.
Friday 7 April 2017 at
Aston University
2pm Room MB220
It's all Tweet to me.
A panel discussion on the merits or otherwise of social media applied to
our industry.
"Ensuring quality and social media". Our goal is to have a
diverse discussion on whether social media like Twitter can contribute to
quality (in translation) or whether they are merely a phenomenon illustrating
that the "loudest" person "wins".
We expect to start at 2pm, with a quick introduction of the panel
members.
Ulrike Nichols will act as moderator, and our panel consists of:
David Orrego-Carmona – Lecturer in Translation Studies, Aston University
James Brown - Comtec Translations
And, hopefully, Angela Dickson -
ITI board member
-~-~-~-~
The panel debate
will be followed by the ITI West Midlands Group AGM at about 4.30 pm
WINTER WALK 2017
Ludlow, Saturday 4 February 11.30am
This year’s winter walk takes us through the historic town of Ludlow and northwards up the Teme Valley. We’ll have a stop half-way round at the Ludlow Food Centre (good farm shop, takeaway drinks, toilets). The walk is about 6½ miles long and fairly flat though it is likely to be muddy. We’ll set off from the Buttercross at the top of Broad Street in the middle of Ludlow at 11.30. There’s plenty of pay carparks in the town (best to pay for more than 4 hours). Why not come early and meet me for a coffee at nearby Costa Coffee? Or stay on after the walk and explore Ludlow, one of England’s finest old towns. Bring a snack to eat at the halfway stop on the walk if you want but some of us may choose to eat a meal afterwards. The walk will go ahead if the weather is rainy but if snow is forecast I will post email updates.
Please let us know via the e-group if you plan to come or contact me direct if you have any particular concerns or queries.
For more on Ludlow, see http://ludlow.org.uk/
On a personal note, the 2017 WMG walks are likely to be my last because I am planning to move back to the North-West later this year. Fortunately a volunteer has already come forward to take over as walks organiser – Clive Walker, who many of you will already know as our photographer on recent walks. Clive is an experienced walks leader and is based in Tamworth, giving the group the opportunity to explore the northern and eastern sides of our region more.
PLEASE NOTE: Everyone is welcome but participants must consider themselves to be on a private excursion – neither the organisers nor the ITI West Midlands Group can accept any liability for accidents or injuries sustained by anyone involved.
Mike Hanson
07941-389990
_____________________________________________________________________
Outreach at the University of Warwick 2022
A full room on the 27 October for our WMG outreach session with Warwick University translation studies students.
Students heard from Phil Jackson, our university outreach coordinator, about his everyday life as a freelance translator and about the benefits of joining both the ITI and our regional group. Sessions at the University of Birmingham and at Aston University are planned for the new year.
Co-working at the Urban Cafe (03/11/22)
Another productive and fun morning was spent co-working with out fabulous ITI WMG colleagues. Cake, conversation, and sage advice was shared, lots of niggling admin done and our website / blog updated. A successful morning for everyone and extra special as we were able to share Luke's birthday too! Join us next time?
Spooky goings on at Kenilworth Castle.. 29/10/22
Our autumn meet up was a spook-tacular day out at Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire. The WMG group covers a vast geographical area, covering Birmingham, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, and parts of Gloucestershire and the North Midlands, so we are trying to organise events in different areas to make it easier for WMG members to connect with us in person.
It was a beautiful, sunny autumn day that really showed Kenilworth Castle off at its best. We met up at the Stables Cafe for coffee before splitting up into small groups to visit the site. Halloween activities organised by English Heritage added to the atmosphere and fancy dress was definitely the order of the day. Lunch was an opportunity to discuss ideas for future events and agenda items for the next committee meeting taking place on the 8th December at our co-working space, the Urban Cafe, Church Street, Birmingham, before our favourite event of the year - The Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market get-together (meeting on the steps of the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery at 5pm). See you there!
Photo (above) is of Bryan and Rob putting the world to rights
A "bostin'" summer social at the Black Country Living Museum
The Black Country Living Museum was the venue for our summer day out on Saturday 23 July 2022. Eight WMG members and guests enjoyed a lovely day out in a great setting, where over 50 shops, houses and other industrial buildings from around the Metropolitan Boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton have been painstakingly relocated to be preserved for future generations.
We decided to have two meeting points, the first outside joint-coordinator Sarah Letza's great-grandfather's house at midday, now one of the terraced houses representing the Chainmaker's house. The second meeting point at 1.30pm was at a picnic area next to the Cradley Heath Workers' Institute (or the 'Stute, as my mom used to say!) where we spent a good hour and a half eating our 'snap' and catching up with each other. We were also really pleased to welcome new WMG member, Luke James, who translates from French & Japanese to English. Thanks to everyone who came and were looking forward to our next trip to Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire in the autumn.
Sarah Letza
Co-working (again) at the Urban Cafe
This month's co-working session in Birmingham took place last Thursday, with chats about sport, the bottle packaging process, sumo wrestling, Jae's new ITI Sports' Network, translating literature and...just generally catching up! Lots to talk about stemming from our AGM last week at Aston University too. It's just nice feeling like we're getting back to the new 'normal' at last.
Co-working @ The
Urban Café
The first co-working session of the year has taken place at The Urban Café on Church Street in Birmingham. Four members of the group enjoyed work, coffee, cake and company whilst putting the world – and this blog - to rights! The next session will be on the 21st of April – why not join us?
ITI-WMG
SPRING WALK 2021
Droitwich, Saturday 22nd May 2021 11:00 a.m.
The first walk of 2021 is based on the historic salt town
of Droitwich, Worcestershire. It is an easy 7-mile circular walk with one stile,
on public footpaths, or on the towpath.
Brief description: leaving the Leisure Centre car park
we first walk beside the Droitwich Barge Canal (re-opened to navigation in
2010) to Vines Park, where various displays explain the history of the salt
mines. We then head north on undulating terrain (this is the section where the
stile occurs) to the hamlet of Hampton Lovett with its Norman church. If open,
it is well worth a visit. We then turn west and walk along the Monarchs Way
through a modern business park – “Creamy, crunchy, crazy” comes to mind! – slightly
uphill to our lunch spot on Jakeman’s Hill. Here we can gaze upon Westwood
Hall with the Malvern Hills in the background. After a break for lunch,
we continue to follow the Monarchs Way, skirting the Hall and walking through
fertile agricultural land on a well-defined footpath. We then cross the river
Salwarpe and the A38 back to our starting point.
Because Government
restrictions still apply, there are three walk leaders for the route, and
dependent on numbers, we will divide you into groups, leaving at around
5-minute intervals.
Parking:
We
aim to set off at 11:00 from the car park of:
Droitwich
Spa Leisure Centre, Briar Mill, Droitwich WR9 0RZ.
Please
park your car in the overflow area to the rear of the car park. The leisure
centre has a vending machine and toilets. Due to Covid restrictions their staff have asked that we use the toilet
facilities on an individual basis, ideally scanning the QR code (linked to the
NHS Test and Trace App) as you enter the building. There is no charge for the car park,
and the route to the leisure centre is clearly signposted in the town.
Arriving
by train:
The
nearest train station is Droitwich. The train station is close to our starting
point, so if you wish to come by train, please let us know in advance and we
will gladly collect you from the station.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Because of Covid restrictions we have not made any
arrangements for food or drink afterwards, but there are plenty of good eating
and drinking outlets nearby.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Walking boots or stout footwear are
recommended on this walk. Also please ensure dogs are kept on the lead as sheep
and cattle may be grazing.
PLEASE NOTE: Everyone is welcome, but participants
must consider themselves to be on a private excursion - neither the organisers
nor the ITI West Midlands Group can accept any liability for accidents or
injuries sustained by anyone involved.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clive
Walker tel. 07866 201873 or clive@clivewalkertranslations.co.uk
ITI-WMG
SUMMER WALK 2020
Moira,
Saturday 5th September 2020 11:30 a.m.
The second walk of 2020 takes place in The National
Forest. It is an easy 9-mile circular walk on public footpaths, towpaths or on
quiet rural roads. The walk could be shortened in the case of bad weather.
Brief description:
we start in Leicestershire at Moira Furnace (photo top left) and first follow
an isolated section of the Ashby Canal to Conkers, the heart of the National
Forest. From there we briefly cross into South Derbyshire where we walk round the
south shore of the vast Albert Village Lake (photo top right). After a brief waterside
break, we cross back into Leicestershire and walk through woodland and across
farmland. We will stop for a second break at Hicks Lodge, a forestry centre
with toilet and café facilities (hopefully open!). We then continue through
Oakthorpe Colliery Picnic Site and later the Saltersford Valley, before
returning to our starting point via a disused railway and the towpath.
Meeting
point and Parking:
We
will meet on 5th September 2020 at 11:30 at Moira Furnace and Museum
Park, Furnace Lane, Moira, Swadlincote DE12 6AT. There is ample free parking
with an upper and lower car park.
There
are toilets, a café, and craft shops on the site, whether they are open depends
on the local Government policy at the time of the walk.
Arriving
by train:
There
is no station close to the Furnace. The nearest main line stations are
Tamworth, Hinckley or Leicester, and you will have to make your own
arrangements to get to and from the station.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Because of social distancing rules, we will not be
visiting a pub after the walk. Instead I suggest that participants/households
bring a rug and a picnic, and we can gather after the walk in the Museum
grounds, if the weather permits. It is only a short walk to the car parks so you
can leave any rugs and picnics in the car before the start. As you can see from
the aerial photo, there is lots of grass and some benches. Moreover, the
furnace site never tends to get too crowded (famous last words!).
Therefore,
please bring ample food and refreshment with you.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Walking boots or stout footwear are
recommended on this walk. Also please ensure dogs are kept on the lead as sheep
and cattle may be grazing.
PLEASE NOTE: Everyone is welcome, but participants
must consider themselves to be on a private excursion - neither the organisers
nor the ITI West Midlands Group can accept any liability for accidents or
injuries sustained by anyone involved. Please also respect any social
distancing requirements.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clive
Walker tel. 07866 201873 or clive@clivewalkertranslations.co.uk
ITI-WMG WINTER WALK 2020
Pershore,
Saturday 18th January 2020 11:30 a.m.
The first walk of 2020 is based on the Georgian town
of Pershore, Worcestershire. It is an easy 6 ½ mile circular walk with a few
stiles, on public footpaths or on quiet rural roads. On a clear day you can see
the outline of the Malvern Hills, and closer at hand the imposing ramparts of
Bredon Hill.
Brief description: leaving the Abbey car park we first
walk down the High Street past the Georgian townhouses and cross the river on
Pershore Bridge, heading south along Shakespeare's Avon Way in the direction of
Great Comberton. We then join the Wychavon Way alongside the river and
eventually arrive at the hamlet of Pensham. We soon cross Pershore Bridge for a
second time and make our way back to our starting point via the open ground of
the Allotment Gardens.
Meeting
point and Parking:
We
will meet at 11:30 in the long stay car park of Pershore Abbey, Abbey Road,
WR10 1JP. Please ensure you have £4.00 in coins to pay for up to 10 hours
parking. I advise against paying the cheaper rate of £3.00 for three hours, as
this may not be long enough for the walk.
There
are plenty of shops and cafés nearby, but the nearest public toilets are a
short distance away at the ASDA supermarket, King George's Way (off Cherry
Orchard) WR10 1QU. Do not leave your car there during the walk, as you are
restricted to two hours parking!
Arriving
by train:
The
nearest train station is Pershore (PSH). The train station is quite a distance
from our starting point, so if you wish to come by train, please let us know
in advance and we will gladly collect you from the station. On Saturday
18th January there is a train due to arrive at 10:29 and another at 11:15. Both
are via Worcester Foregate station. Please try to be on either of these two
trains, if at all possible.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You are welcome to join us for refreshment afterwards
in The Angel Inn & Posting House in the High Street WR10 1AF. We will be
going past this hotel pub at the start of the walk.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Walking boots or stout footwear are
recommended on this walk. Also please ensure dogs are kept on the lead as sheep
and cattle may be grazing.
PLEASE NOTE: Everyone is welcome but participants must
consider themselves to be on a private excursion - neither the organisers nor
the ITI West Midlands Group can accept any liability for accidents or injuries
sustained by anyone involved.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PS:
This is essentially a river walk. In view of the excessive amount of rain we
have had over the past months the ground is still saturated, and as a result,
in the event of further rain, the river may flood and the route will then
become impassable.
If
we have to postpone the walk for this reason, we will let you know a few days
beforehand via the WMG forum. Fingers crossed for a dry January!
Clive
Walker tel. 07866 201873 or clive@clivewalkertranslations.co.uk
Studying languages? Considering a career as a translator or
interpreter?
The West Midlands Group of the ITI (Institute of Translation and
Interpreting) invites you to join them for a:
Meet&Greet |
 |
When: 23 October from 5.30-8.30pm
Where: Upper Bar at the Soloman Cutler, Broad Street, Birmingham
Come and find out what the ITI and the WMG do and have a chat with
translators and interpreters specialising in a wide range of languages and
areas of expertise.
|
  |
SUMMER WALK 2019
Kingsbury, Warwickshire Sunday 8th September
11:30 a.m.
 |
 |
 |
 |
This is an easy 8
mile walk on even ground, on footpaths, towpaths, and a short section on a
road. There are several opportunities to take a short cut on route, and finding
your own way back is straightforward.
The theme for this walk is 'birds and water' and we will
encounter three types of waterway - lakes, canals and streams - and three types
of birds - waterfowl, seagulls and songbirds, so binoculars are a good idea.
We begin by travelling on the Echills Wood miniature
railway (picture above), which will take us to the starting point of the walk
itself at Far Leys, within the park. A single journey on the train costs £1.00
per head. Unfortunately dogs are not permitted on the trains, and so any dog walkers
will have to walk ¾ mile to Far Leys (clearly signposted) on the car-free road
that runs parallel to the railway. We will wait for you when we get off the
train (journey time approx. 10 minutes).
We first walk through the park towards the canal, crossing
under the M42 and past several lakes (waterfowl and seagulls). Turning
northwards we walk alongside the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal and enter the
RPSB reserve of Middleton Lakes (free admission). We skirt around more lakes
(waterfowl and seagulls) before entering the part of the bird reserve that is
on the opposite side of the canal (songbirds). We will stop for lunch in the
courtyard of 13th century Middleton Hall, where there are toilets, craft shops
and cafés, but only food bought on the premises can be consumed here.
Alternatively, those with their own packed lunch can eat it in a wooden shelter
nearby.
We walk round the perimeter of Aston Villa's training
ground club before crossing some fields to enter Bodymoor Heath Road. Here we
will have to walk in single file for approximately ½ mile back to the canal. We
then follow the towpath in a southerly direction passing the Dog & Doublet
pub. We can stop there briefly for refreshment if time permits, and it is where
we will be eating afterwards. We leave the canal near a lock and walk across
fields to the village of Marston, at which point we re-enter the park and return
to our starting point.
Meeting point and Parking: Drive* into the main entrance of KingsburyWater
Park, Bodymoor Heath Lane, Sutton Coldfield B76 0DY. Entrance is £4.50 per car,
so you may wish to car share. The automatic barrier takes payment by coins
only, although the entrance is sometimes manned at busy times. Please ensure
you enter the park by the main entrance, and
not via the Broomey Croft entrance.
We will assemble outside the reception centre and shop, which you will see
on your left as you drive in. There are toilets and a café there, and an
adventure playground nearby.
Eating afterwards: For
those who wish to stay on, we will drive the short distance to the Dog &
Doublet canalside pub, Dog Lane, Bodymoor Heath B76 9JD, which we also pass on
the walk.
Walking
boots or stout footwear are recommended, but not essential on this walk. Also
please ensure dogs are kept on the lead as sheep and cattle may be grazing.
PLEASE NOTE: Everyone is welcome but participants must
consider themselves to be on a private excursion - neither the organisers nor
the ITI West Midlands Group can accept any liability for accidents or injuries
sustained by anyone involved.
The
nearest railway station is Tamworth. If anyone needs picking up from there, I
will be glad to assist.
Creative writing
workshop in Birmingham
Saturday 29th June 2019 (10 am – 4 pm)
Get
creative, indulge your love of language, play with words and discover your own
voice! Join Ros Mendy and Alison Layland for a fun day of creative writing
prompts, discussions and exercises in a supportive atmosphere. No previous
creative writing experience necessary. The workshop will be run in English, but
feel free to write in any language(s) you like.
Venue
The Birmingham & Midland Institute (BMI) is a Grade II*
listed building in the heart of Birmingham, a 15-minute walk from New Street
station. The room is fully accessible for wheelchair users.
Prices
(includes lunch and refreshments)
About the workshop
leaders
Alison Layland (MITI) translates works of fiction and creative
texts from German, French and Welsh. In 2002 she won first place at the
National Eisteddfod with a short story written in Welsh. Her first novel, Someone
Else’s Conflict, was published in 2014, and will be followed in June 2019 by Riverflow,
both published by Honno.
Ros Mendy (MITI) translates marketing materials and
children’s books from German and French. Writing as Ros Woolner, she has had
poems published in journals and anthologies and her poem ‘Sack of Night’ won 2nd
prize in the Wolverhampton Literature Festival poetry competition in 2018. Her
first book of poetry, On the Wing,
was published by Offa’s Press in 2018.
To book a place: Please
email Ros Mendy for a form: translations[at]rosmendy.co.uk
Please join us for our annual
AGM
on 4 April 2019, 2.30-4.00 at Aston University, Room MB 155, Aston University, Main Building
followed by a tea and coffee break and the following talk
‘I am not a resource’:
Strategies
for Sustainable Success in Professional Translation
by
Silke Lührmann
Translation is a challenging task that requires advanced linguistic, intercultural and research skills; even Ludwig Wittgenstein, a thinker not unduly daunted by intellectual complexity, had to concede that ‘[i]t is a difficult business’.
For many professional practitioners, translation is also a labour of love. In the survey that forms the core of my PhD research on working conditions in the current translation market, a number of respondents talk about their passion for ‘the work itself’, and almost 60% strongly disagree with the suggestion that they might ever want to do anything else for a living.
This ‘difficult business’ of translation is also an extremely lucrative one: a multi-billion dollar growth industry dominated by profit-driven corporate LSPs that arguably seek to marginalise highly skilled professional experts as expendable ‘translation resources’. With increasing pressure on deadlines and bottom lines, many survey respondents find themselves working longer hours and/or at greater speed than they would ideally like to, and they worry about the quality they are able to deliver under these conditions.
My survey of almost 300 professional translators from 33 countries yielded a rich diversity of opinions and attitudes as well as some common themes and experiences. In this talk, I will draw on these findings to discuss some of the key points of interest identified by respondents:
-
Stress and enjoyment factors
-
Reductive v. empowering definitions of translators’ professional identities as ‘resources’, ‘service providers’, ‘language experts’ or ‘word artists’
-
Strategies for juggling conflicting demands on translators’ time and attention (clients’ expectations of constant availability and instant responsiveness v. deep focus on translation work)
-
What does sustainable success look like under current (and future) market conditions, and what (more) can be done to help novice translators achieve it?
The Speaker
Silke Lührmann completed her first paid translation (of an opinion piece on the financial markets) in 1998, her first book-length translation in 2005 and her translation degree (MA in Literary Translation from Swansea University) in 2013. She has been working as a professional translator, writer and editor in Germany, New Zealand and the UK for over 20 years. In 2015, she was awarded funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to start a PhD in Translation Studies at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, exploring the impact of recent changes in the translation industry (automation, “massification”) on the working conditions, status and agency of professional translators. She currently combines freelance translation with academic research and occasional teaching/lecturing.
ITI-WMG WINTER WALK 2019
Bewdley, Saturday 26th January 2019 11:30 a.m.
The first walk of 2019 is based on the historic town
of Bewdley and the Wryre Forest. It is an easy 6 mile circular walk with a few
stiles, uphill to start with, then undulating, before descending steadily along
a disused railway, and finally on level ground beside the river. We will be
walking on public footpaths, forest tracks, a cycleway/disused railway line,
and occasionally on quiet country roads. It
is possible to shorten the walk by 1 or 2 miles in the event of bad weather, or
to take an alternative route back if the River Severn is in flood.
Brief description: leaving the car park we first walk
downriver for a short way, before turning westwards to skirt the town on public
footpaths. We enter the Wyre forest at Coppice Gate. Following clearly marked forest
trails we then head in a north-westerly direction to join the disused Tenbury
to Bewdley railway line at Lodge Hill Farm. From there it's downhill until we
join the river Severn at Dowles Bridge from where we return along the North
Worcestershire Path to our starting point.
Meeting point and Parking:
We will meet outside the St. George's
Hall cafe in Load Street car park at 11:30. There are public toilets in the car
park and lots of shops etc. a few yards away. For those who want to stay
afterwards, I suggest we meet for refreshment in The George Hotel, just around
the corner from the car park.
Load
Street Car Park, Bewdley DY12 2AW
Please
make sure you park in the lower (long-stay) car park, and not the upper
(short-stay) car park. The rate for 3 to 6 hours is currently £4.60. I would advise against paying a cheaper rate
of £2.80 for up to 3 hours, as I think this will not allow us enough time.
Walking
boots or stout footwear are recommended on this walk. Also please ensure dogs
are kept on the lead as sheep and cattle may be grazing.
Meet and Greet
Date: 4 October 2018 Time: 4 - 8 pm Venue: Soloman Cutler, Upper Bar, Broad Street, Birmingham
The West Midlands Group of the ITI wants to meet you!
If you are involved in translation or interpreting in the West Midlands or are studying modern foreign languages and specialising in these areas, we want to meet you. The ITI West Midlands Group is a friendly, vibrant group that meets regularly for professional and social events.
Come and join us at the Soloman Cutler on Broad Street to find out more about what the West Midlands Group has planned for the coming year - first drink is on us with your Eventbrite booking form.
Please register on Eventbrite here
SUMMER
WALK 2018 -- New DATE
Kingsbury,
Warwickshire Sunday 19 August 2018 11:30 a.m.
This is an easy 8 mile walk on even ground, on
footpaths, towpaths, and a short section on a road. The theme for this walk is
'birds and water' and we will encounter three types of waterway - lakes, canals
and streams - and three types of birds - waterfowl, terns and songbirds, so
binoculars are a good idea.
Eating afterwards:
For those who wish to stay on, we will drive the short distance to the Dog
& Doublet canalside pub, Dog Lane, Bodymoor Heath B76 9JD, which we also
pass on the walk.
Walking
boots or stout footwear are recommended, but not essential on this walk. Also
please ensure dogs are kept on the lead as sheep and cattle may be grazing.
*The nearest railway station is Tamworth. If anyone
needs picking up from there, I will be glad to assist.
**The Hall is hosting a fee-paying Napoleonic
Re-enactment weekend on 14th and 15th July, so there may be some restrictions
on access to the Hall, but there should be no obstructions to the route of our
walk.
*The nearest railway station is Tamworth. If anyone
needs picking up from there, I will be glad to assist.
**The Hall is hosting a fee-paying Napoleonic
Re-enactment weekend on 14th and 15th July, so there may be some restrictions
on access to the Hall, but there should be no obstructions to the route of our
walk.
Visit to Coventry Cathedral
Please join us for a social and
cultural get-together in Coventry.
Wednesday 27th June 2018
Meet: Coventry Cathedral at 1.30 pm for guided tour at 1.45 pm.
FREE coffee and cake afterwards
The tour lasts between 1 and 1 ½
hours, and the WMG will be paying for tea/coffee and CAKE in the café
afterwards!
As well as being a place of worship,
Coventry Cathedral is a renowned centre for peace and reconciliation and the
arts.
The cost of the tour is £8 per person.
To book your place, please transfer
£8 to the WMG account by 20th June. Email unichols@ampletranslations.com for payment instructions
AGM 2018
10 May 2018, 3.00-6.00pm at
The Wellington, 37 Bennetts Hill, Birmingham B2 5SN
Agenda
1.
Welcome
9.
AOB
WINTER
WALK 2018
Kenilworth,
Saturday 20th January 2018 11:30 a.m.
The first walk of 2018 is based on the historic town
of Kenilworth and its mediaeval castle. Although 7 miles in length, it is an
easy walk with no stiles, and no climbs or descents of any note. We will be
walking along a disused railway track or quiet tarmaced lanes for half of the
walk. The remainder of the walk (the second half) will be on public footpaths
across fields, where it can get muddy and slippery. If the weather turns nasty, or someone needs to get home earlier, there
is the possibility of shortening the walk to around 4 miles by leaving the
disused railway track and walking on the pavement along Red Lane back to
Kenilworth; however, taking this short cut will mean missing the splendid views
of Kenilworth Castle.
We leave the car park
and walk through Old Kenilworth passing the ruins of its Abbey on the way. We
then walk along Hollis Lane, a quiet country byway with a broad verge, to join
the Coventry Way, a disused railway line. We will stop for a lunch break just
before we leave the old line at Burton Green. We then head south west towards
Rudfyn Manor. We need to take care when
crossing the busy Birmingham Road, the A452, in order to reach the drive to the
Manor. At the Manor, we turn south east and have our first view of
Kenilworth Castle, away in the distance. We gradually approach the Castle from
the north west and encircle its ramparts before finishing back at our starting
point. Take care again when we leave the
English Heritage car park and have to cross the B4103 very close to the finish.
Meeting point and Parking:
We will start from the Queen &
Castle pub at 11:30, where I have made a provisional booking for us to
eat/drink. The address is:
!!New Date!!
WORKING IN DANGER ZONES
Wine Tesseur: TRANSLATING DEVELOPMENT: THE ROLE OF TRANSLATION IN INTERNATIONAL UK-BASED DEVELOPMENT NGOS
Short outline: International NGOs work in highly multilingual contexts, yet languages and translation tend to have a low profile in these organisations, with language and translation policies often not being in place. This talk will explore the role of translation in the delivery of development programmes by drawing on data collected through interviews with staff at four international UK-based development NGOs, including translators and bilingual staff whose main task is not translation.
Wine
is working as a postdoctoral research assistant at the University of Reading on
the AHRC-project "The Listening Zones of NGOs: languages and cultural
knowledge in development programmes", led by Professor Hilary Footitt.
The project is led by Reading University with the University of Portsmouth
and the International NGO training and Research Centre (INTRAC), Oxford.
Maha El-Metwally: DANGER ZONE - a Presentation
by Maha El-Metwally
The talk will tackle the situation of interpreters in Afghanistan and Iraq, the responsibility of the UK and the US towards them and the work of Red T and other organisations that work to help them.
Maha is a conference interpreter and translator who, over the past 17 years, hase worked for a wide range of international organisations, including the European Institutions, the United Nations and the Red Cross. Her languages are Arabic (A), English (B), French and Dutch (C). She is a member of the International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC), ITI and the Chartered Institute of Linguists.
Followed by networking and lunch (location to be
decided)
Cost £5.00, students free.
To register, please email Ulrike, unichols@ampletranslations.com
SUMMER
WALK 2017
Carsington,
Saturday 15th July 2017 11:30 a.m.
This year's summer walk is based in the vicinity of
Carsington Water in the Derbyshire Dales, just outside the boundaries of the
Peak District National Park. The walk offers a variety of terrain, spectacular
views, and industrial archaeology. There will be a lunch-break at Middleton Top
Engine House, where there is a small café and toilets.
Friday 7 April 2017 at
Aston University
2pm Room MB220
It's all Tweet to me.
A panel discussion on the merits or otherwise of social media applied to
our industry.
"Ensuring quality and social media". Our goal is to have a
diverse discussion on whether social media like Twitter can contribute to
quality (in translation) or whether they are merely a phenomenon illustrating
that the "loudest" person "wins".
We expect to start at 2pm, with a quick introduction of the panel
members.
Ulrike Nichols will act as moderator, and our panel consists of:
David Orrego-Carmona – Lecturer in Translation Studies, Aston University
James Brown - Comtec Translations
And, hopefully, Angela Dickson -
ITI board member
-~-~-~-~
The panel debate
will be followed by the ITI West Midlands Group AGM at about 4.30 pm
Creative writing
workshop in Birmingham
Saturday 29th June 2019 (10 am – 4 pm)
Get
creative, indulge your love of language, play with words and discover your own
voice! Join Ros Mendy and Alison Layland for a fun day of creative writing
prompts, discussions and exercises in a supportive atmosphere. No previous
creative writing experience necessary. The workshop will be run in English, but
feel free to write in any language(s) you like.
Venue
The Birmingham & Midland Institute (BMI) is a Grade II*
listed building in the heart of Birmingham, a 15-minute walk from New Street
station. The room is fully accessible for wheelchair users.
Birmingham & Midland Institute (BMI)
9 Margaret Street
Birmingham B3 3BS
Prices
WMG members: £25
Non-members: £35
(includes lunch and refreshments)
About the workshop
leaders
Alison Layland (MITI) translates works of fiction and creative
texts from German, French and Welsh. In 2002 she won first place at the
National Eisteddfod with a short story written in Welsh. Her first novel, Someone
Else’s Conflict, was published in 2014, and will be followed in June 2019 by Riverflow,
both published by Honno.
Ros Mendy (MITI) translates marketing materials and
children’s books from German and French. Writing as Ros Woolner, she has had
poems published in journals and anthologies and her poem ‘Sack of Night’ won 2nd
prize in the Wolverhampton Literature Festival poetry competition in 2018. Her
first book of poetry, On the Wing,
was published by Offa’s Press in 2018.
To book a place: Please
email Ros Mendy for a form: translations[at]rosmendy.co.uk
Please join us for our annual
AGM
on 4 April 2019, 2.30-4.00 at Aston University, Room MB 155, Aston University, Main Building
followed by a tea and coffee break and the following talk
‘I am not a resource’:
Strategies for Sustainable Success in Professional Translation
Strategies for Sustainable Success in Professional Translation
by
Silke Lührmann
Translation is a challenging task that requires advanced linguistic, intercultural and research skills; even Ludwig Wittgenstein, a thinker not unduly daunted by intellectual complexity, had to concede that ‘[i]t is a difficult business’.
For many professional practitioners, translation is also a labour of love. In the survey that forms the core of my PhD research on working conditions in the current translation market, a number of respondents talk about their passion for ‘the work itself’, and almost 60% strongly disagree with the suggestion that they might ever want to do anything else for a living.
This ‘difficult business’ of translation is also an extremely lucrative one: a multi-billion dollar growth industry dominated by profit-driven corporate LSPs that arguably seek to marginalise highly skilled professional experts as expendable ‘translation resources’. With increasing pressure on deadlines and bottom lines, many survey respondents find themselves working longer hours and/or at greater speed than they would ideally like to, and they worry about the quality they are able to deliver under these conditions.
My survey of almost 300 professional translators from 33 countries yielded a rich diversity of opinions and attitudes as well as some common themes and experiences. In this talk, I will draw on these findings to discuss some of the key points of interest identified by respondents:
- Stress and enjoyment factors
- Reductive v. empowering definitions of translators’ professional identities as ‘resources’, ‘service providers’, ‘language experts’ or ‘word artists’
- Strategies for juggling conflicting demands on translators’ time and attention (clients’ expectations of constant availability and instant responsiveness v. deep focus on translation work)
- What does sustainable success look like under current (and future) market conditions, and what (more) can be done to help novice translators achieve it?
The Speaker
Silke Lührmann completed her first paid translation (of an opinion piece on the financial markets) in 1998, her first book-length translation in 2005 and her translation degree (MA in Literary Translation from Swansea University) in 2013. She has been working as a professional translator, writer and editor in Germany, New Zealand and the UK for over 20 years. In 2015, she was awarded funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to start a PhD in Translation Studies at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, exploring the impact of recent changes in the translation industry (automation, “massification”) on the working conditions, status and agency of professional translators. She currently combines freelance translation with academic research and occasional teaching/lecturing.
ITI-WMG WINTER WALK 2019
Bewdley, Saturday 26th January 2019 11:30 a.m.
The first walk of 2019 is based on the historic town
of Bewdley and the Wryre Forest. It is an easy 6 mile circular walk with a few
stiles, uphill to start with, then undulating, before descending steadily along
a disused railway, and finally on level ground beside the river. We will be
walking on public footpaths, forest tracks, a cycleway/disused railway line,
and occasionally on quiet country roads. It
is possible to shorten the walk by 1 or 2 miles in the event of bad weather, or
to take an alternative route back if the River Severn is in flood.
Brief description: leaving the car park we first walk
downriver for a short way, before turning westwards to skirt the town on public
footpaths. We enter the Wyre forest at Coppice Gate. Following clearly marked forest
trails we then head in a north-westerly direction to join the disused Tenbury
to Bewdley railway line at Lodge Hill Farm. From there it's downhill until we
join the river Severn at Dowles Bridge from where we return along the North
Worcestershire Path to our starting point.
Meeting point and Parking:
We will meet outside the St. George's
Hall cafe in Load Street car park at 11:30. There are public toilets in the car
park and lots of shops etc. a few yards away. For those who want to stay
afterwards, I suggest we meet for refreshment in The George Hotel, just around
the corner from the car park.
The address of the car park is:
Load Street Car Park, Bewdley DY12 2AW
Please
make sure you park in the lower (long-stay) car park, and not the upper
(short-stay) car park. The rate for 3 to 6 hours is currently £4.60. I would advise against paying a cheaper rate
of £2.80 for up to 3 hours, as I think this will not allow us enough time.
There is alternative parking adjacent to our starting
point in:
Dog
Lane Car Park, Bewdley, DY12 2EF
Rates
are similar to those above.
Walking
boots or stout footwear are recommended on this walk. Also please ensure dogs
are kept on the lead as sheep and cattle may be grazing.
PLEASE NOTE: Everyone
is welcome but participants must consider themselves to be on a private
excursion - neither the organisers nor the ITI West Midlands Group can accept
any liability for accidents or injuries sustained by anyone involved.
Meet and Greet
Date: 4 October 2018 Time: 4 - 8 pm Venue: Soloman Cutler, Upper Bar, Broad Street, Birmingham
The West Midlands Group of the ITI wants to meet you!
If you are involved in translation or interpreting in the West Midlands or are studying modern foreign languages and specialising in these areas, we want to meet you. The ITI West Midlands Group is a friendly, vibrant group that meets regularly for professional and social events.
Come and join us at the Soloman Cutler on Broad Street to find out more about what the West Midlands Group has planned for the coming year - first drink is on us with your Eventbrite booking form.
Please register on Eventbrite here
SUMMER WALK 2018 -- New DATE
Kingsbury,
Warwickshire Sunday 19 August 2018 11:30 a.m.
This is an easy 8 mile walk on even ground, on
footpaths, towpaths, and a short section on a road. The theme for this walk is
'birds and water' and we will encounter three types of waterway - lakes, canals
and streams - and three types of birds - waterfowl, terns and songbirds, so
binoculars are a good idea.
We begin by travelling on the Echills Wood miniature
railway (picture above), which will take us to the starting point of the walk
itself at Far Leys, within the park. A single journey on the train costs £1.00
per head; I have notified the railway company of our group, and they have told
me they may be able to lay on a train (or two) for our exclusive use.
Unfortunately dogs are not permitted on the trains, and so any dog walkers will
have to walk ¾ mile to Far Leys (clearly signposted) on the car-free road that
runs parallel to the railway. We will wait for you when we get off the train
(journey time approx. 10 minutes).
We first walk through the park towards the canal,
crossing under the M42 and past several lakes. Turning northwards we walk
alongside the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal and enter the RPSB reserve of
Middleton Lakes (free admission, no need to be members). We skirt around more
lakes before entering the part of the bird reserve that is on the opposite side
of the canal. We will stop for lunch in the courtyard of 13th century Middleton
Hall**, where there are toilets, craft shops and cafés.
We walk round the perimeter of the training ground of
an aspiring Championship football club before crossing some fields to enter
Bodymoor Heath Road. Here we will have to walk in single file for approximately
½ mile back to the canal. We then follow the towpath in a southerly direction
passing the Dog & Doublet pub. We can stop there briefly for refreshment if
time permits, and it is where we will be eating afterwards. We leave the canal
near a lock and walk across fields to the village of Marston, at which point we
re-enter the park and return to our starting point.
Meeting point and Parking:
Drive* into the main entrance of KingsburyWater
Park, Bodymoor Heath Lane, Sutton Coldfield B76 0DY. Entrance is £4.50 per car,
so you may wish to car share. The automatic barrier takes payment by coins
only, although the entrance is sometimes manned at busy times. Please ensure
you enter the park by the main entrance, and
not via the Broomey Croft entrance.
We will assemble outside the reception centre and shop, which you will see
on your left as you drive in. There are toilets and a café there, and an
adventure playground nearby.
Eating afterwards:
For those who wish to stay on, we will drive the short distance to the Dog
& Doublet canalside pub, Dog Lane, Bodymoor Heath B76 9JD, which we also
pass on the walk.
Walking
boots or stout footwear are recommended, but not essential on this walk. Also
please ensure dogs are kept on the lead as sheep and cattle may be grazing.
PLEASE NOTE: Everyone is welcome but participants must
consider themselves to be on a private excursion - neither the organisers nor
the ITI West Midlands Group can accept any liability for accidents or injuries
sustained by anyone involved.
*The nearest railway station is Tamworth. If anyone
needs picking up from there, I will be glad to assist.
**The Hall is hosting a fee-paying Napoleonic
Re-enactment weekend on 14th and 15th July, so there may be some restrictions
on access to the Hall, but there should be no obstructions to the route of our
walk.
*The nearest railway station is Tamworth. If anyone
needs picking up from there, I will be glad to assist.
**The Hall is hosting a fee-paying Napoleonic
Re-enactment weekend on 14th and 15th July, so there may be some restrictions
on access to the Hall, but there should be no obstructions to the route of our
walk.
Visit to Coventry Cathedral
Please join us for a social and
cultural get-together in Coventry.
Wednesday 27th June 2018
Meet: Coventry Cathedral at 1.30 pm for guided tour at 1.45 pm.
FREE coffee and cake afterwards
The tour lasts between 1 and 1 ½
hours, and the WMG will be paying for tea/coffee and CAKE in the café
afterwards!
As well as being a place of worship,
Coventry Cathedral is a renowned centre for peace and reconciliation and the
arts.
The cost of the tour is £8 per person.
To book your place, please transfer
£8 to the WMG account by 20th June. Email unichols@ampletranslations.com for payment instructions
AGM 2018
10 May 2018, 3.00-6.00pm at
The Wellington, 37 Bennetts Hill, Birmingham B2 5SN
Agenda
1.
Welcome
2.
Attendance and Absences (with or without
apologies)
3.
Approval of minutes of previous AGM
4. General Privacy
Date Regulations (an update)
a. Brief presentation with examples on privacy data
b. Discussion on how to obtain consent for future publication
of pictures.
5.
Publicity and overview of this year’s activities
(Ulrike)
6.
Membership (Liz)
7.
Finances (Charlie)
8.
Committee elections
a.
Charlie, Juliet, and Rekha are stepping down
b.
Candidates for positions??
9.
AOB
WINTER WALK 2018
Kenilworth,
Saturday 20th January 2018 11:30 a.m.
The first walk of 2018 is based on the historic town
of Kenilworth and its mediaeval castle. Although 7 miles in length, it is an
easy walk with no stiles, and no climbs or descents of any note. We will be
walking along a disused railway track or quiet tarmaced lanes for half of the
walk. The remainder of the walk (the second half) will be on public footpaths
across fields, where it can get muddy and slippery. If the weather turns nasty, or someone needs to get home earlier, there
is the possibility of shortening the walk to around 4 miles by leaving the
disused railway track and walking on the pavement along Red Lane back to
Kenilworth; however, taking this short cut will mean missing the splendid views
of Kenilworth Castle.
We leave the car park
and walk through Old Kenilworth passing the ruins of its Abbey on the way. We
then walk along Hollis Lane, a quiet country byway with a broad verge, to join
the Coventry Way, a disused railway line. We will stop for a lunch break just
before we leave the old line at Burton Green. We then head south west towards
Rudfyn Manor. We need to take care when
crossing the busy Birmingham Road, the A452, in order to reach the drive to the
Manor. At the Manor, we turn south east and have our first view of
Kenilworth Castle, away in the distance. We gradually approach the Castle from
the north west and encircle its ramparts before finishing back at our starting
point. Take care again when we leave the
English Heritage car park and have to cross the B4103 very close to the finish.
Meeting point and Parking:
We will start from the Queen &
Castle pub at 11:30, where I have made a provisional booking for us to
eat/drink. The address is:
Queen & Castle, Castle Green,
Kenilworth CV8 1ND
Because the pub is directly opposite the castle, there
is a charge of £ 6.00 to park there all day. However if you later place a first order in the pub they will refund
you £ 2.00 of the parking charge upon presentation of your ticket. We will
be able to use their toilets etc. on arrival.
There is alternative parking in:
Abbey
Fields Car Park, Bridge Street, Kenilworth CV8 1BP
Parking here costs just £ 2.00 for 4 hours, £ 2.50 for
5 hours, £ 3.00 for 6 hours. Toilets are available in the swimming pool at the
far end of the car park. If you choose to park here (it seems to be a popular,
relatively small car park), and you cannot find your way to our starting point
at The Queen & Castle, do not despair, we
will be walking through this car park 10 minutes into the walk and you can join
us at that point.
There is still further parking at the:
English
Heritage Castle car park at CV8 1NG
I do not know
how much it costs to park here, because at the time of my visit the parking
meters were being replaced and it does not say on the website what the parking
charges are. When you drive to the EH Castle car park you will pass the Queen
& Castle pub so you will know where to meet up with us.
Walking
boots or stout footwear are recommended on this walk. Also please ensure dogs
are kept on the lead as sheep and cattle may be grazing.
PLEASE NOTE: Everyone
is welcome but participants must consider themselves to be on a private
excursion - neither the organisers nor the ITI West Midlands Group can accept
any liability for accidents or injuries sustained by anyone involved.
!!New Date!!
WORKING IN DANGER ZONES
WORKING IN DANGER ZONES
An ITI West Midlands Group
event at Aston University
23 November 2017 - 2pm
Room MB108
Wine Tesseur: TRANSLATING DEVELOPMENT: THE ROLE OF TRANSLATION IN INTERNATIONAL UK-BASED DEVELOPMENT NGOS
Short outline: International NGOs work in highly multilingual contexts, yet languages and translation tend to have a low profile in these organisations, with language and translation policies often not being in place. This talk will explore the role of translation in the delivery of development programmes by drawing on data collected through interviews with staff at four international UK-based development NGOs, including translators and bilingual staff whose main task is not translation.
Wine
is working as a postdoctoral research assistant at the University of Reading on
the AHRC-project "The Listening Zones of NGOs: languages and cultural
knowledge in development programmes", led by Professor Hilary Footitt.
The project is led by Reading University with the University of Portsmouth
and the International NGO training and Research Centre (INTRAC), Oxford.
Maha El-Metwally: DANGER ZONE - a Presentation
by Maha El-Metwally
The talk will tackle the situation of interpreters in Afghanistan and Iraq, the responsibility of the UK and the US towards them and the work of Red T and other organisations that work to help them.
Maha is a conference interpreter and translator who, over the past 17 years, hase worked for a wide range of international organisations, including the European Institutions, the United Nations and the Red Cross. Her languages are Arabic (A), English (B), French and Dutch (C). She is a member of the International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC), ITI and the Chartered Institute of Linguists.
Followed by networking and lunch (location to be
decided)
Cost £5.00, students free.
To register, please email Ulrike, unichols@ampletranslations.com
Cost £5.00, students free.
To register, please email Ulrike, unichols@ampletranslations.com
WINTER WALK 2017
Ludlow, Saturday 4 February 11.30am
This year’s winter walk takes us through the historic town of Ludlow and northwards up the Teme Valley. We’ll have a stop half-way round at the Ludlow Food Centre (good farm shop, takeaway drinks, toilets). The walk is about 6½ miles long and fairly flat though it is likely to be muddy. We’ll set off from the Buttercross at the top of Broad Street in the middle of Ludlow at 11.30. There’s plenty of pay carparks in the town (best to pay for more than 4 hours). Why not come early and meet me for a coffee at nearby Costa Coffee? Or stay on after the walk and explore Ludlow, one of England’s finest old towns. Bring a snack to eat at the halfway stop on the walk if you want but some of us may choose to eat a meal afterwards. The walk will go ahead if the weather is rainy but if snow is forecast I will post email updates.
Please let us know via the e-group if you plan to come or contact me direct if you have any particular concerns or queries.
For more on Ludlow, see http://ludlow.org.uk/
On a personal note, the 2017 WMG walks are likely to be my last because I am planning to move back to the North-West later this year. Fortunately a volunteer has already come forward to take over as walks organiser – Clive Walker, who many of you will already know as our photographer on recent walks. Clive is an experienced walks leader and is based in Tamworth, giving the group the opportunity to explore the northern and eastern sides of our region more.
PLEASE NOTE: Everyone is welcome but participants must consider themselves to be on a private excursion – neither the organisers nor the ITI West Midlands Group can accept any liability for accidents or injuries sustained by anyone involved.
Mike Hanson
07941-389990
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