Young businessman beats hundreds to win national award (From Sutton Guardian)

Young Carshalton businessman beats hundreds to win national award

5:52pm Monday 14th September 2009 in News By Thais Portilho-Shrimpton

A local entrepreneur beat hundreds of others to win a telecommunications award.

Dean Rhodes-Brandon, manager of Carshalton-based Yourlocalcinema.com, a website which lists subtitled and audio described film screenings taking place in the UK for people with sight or hearing problems, won the BT Home Business Remote Worker Award.

He said: “As we get older we may all lose some hearing or sight. We may appreciate services that can help us enjoy sound and vision. Also, to win a national award can only help to persuade my sponsors to continue funding my service."

Eighteen-year-old Mr Rhodes-Brandon’s home business is run from a laptop, with a mobile broadband USB stick . He is profoundly deaf and have mild cerebral palsy, so rarely ventures out to meet people, preferring to correspond almost entirely by email.

The Remote Worker Awards recognise the achievements of people who work from home or remotely and their employers.

Yourlocalcinema.com is a member of the film industry's Disability Working Group, a collection of representatives from cinema, distribution and technology companies, as well as representatives from the main charities for people with hearing or sight problems.