AtoZ Interpreting has been in operation since 2006 when it was operating as a sole trader under the name of AFC Interpreting, The company changed its legal status in April 2008 when it became known as AtoZ Interpreting & Translation services LTD. Over the years we have served over 200 clients, both in public and private sector. Our main client base has been the NHS, Solicitors, Refugee organisations, Social services, Private business.
Our company’s mission is to ensure that all members of the public enjoy equal access to public services. We aim to remove language as a barrier to communication and we strive to identify and negotiate the cultural differences that can affect the impact or relevance of our clients’ communications.
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My interest in the world of interpreting is rooted in my work experience as a Para legal advice worker representing clients at social security and disability tribunals and my involvement in the Iqbal Begum Campaign in the 1980’s. I was witness to some very poor interpreting services. Interpreters were booked to interpret a language that was neither their mother tongue or language of habitual use. The case would then have to be adjourned causing further financial hardship to my clients as they would have to wait weeks for their case to be reheard.
Iqbal Begum was a Mirpuri speaker and spoke no English but was assisted in court by a Gujarati interpreter. When the Judge asked Iqbal Begum how she pleaded to the charge of murdering her husband, Iqbal replied, “I have done wrong.” The interpreter inaccurately expressed these words as an admission of guilt, and Iqbal was consequently sentenced to life imprisonment. The interpreter’s job was to literally interpret and not put his own bias on what was being said. The consequences for Iqbal Begum were extremely serious and she served five years before her case was reheard and she was released. Her sentence did not end here as she was ostracised from her community and her children did not want to know her, causing her further pain and suffering.
The implications for Iqbal Begum were far-reaching and devastating. At AtoZ, we take seriously our responsibilities to ensure our interpreters language skills are assessed and by developing and implementing a rigorous selection process to ensure quality in the delivery of service, and by ensuring that interpretation and translation is accurate.
We only use interpreters for their mother tongue or language of habitual use.
A to Z Interpreting & Translation Services Ltd is one of the fastest growing providers of On-Site and Over-the-phone Interpreting and Translation services within the United Kingdom. We provide interpreting services for over 100 languages 24 hours a day. We match by subject specialisation and cultural difference where necessary. Organisations throughout the UK are now discovering that there really is another viable language solution out there and that solution is ATOZ.
We aim to provide a quality service, matching interpreter to client by gender, subject, proximity to venue and regional dialects where possible. Our service is confidential.
All our interpreters hold a cleared Enhanced DBS, and are trained to deliver a service which incorporates the Institute of Translation and Interpreting Code of Conduct. We offer a large database of Community and Qualified interpreters covering over 100 languages.
We assure quality of service in adherence to the Institute of Interpreting & Translation code of guidance in our booking and recruitment procedure.
We can provide a wide range of interpreting services, from court and custodial services to accompanying assistants for business trips, trade fairs and exhibitions. All our professional and experienced interpreters have a general awareness of the language and are culturally sensitive. We also provide commercial interpreters who possess a technical knowledge of the relevant industry, and business negotiating skills.
AtoZ Interpreting and Translation Services have delivered face to face language translation and interpreting services to NHS Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit since creation of the CSU in April 2013. Prior to 2013 (and from 2006), AtoZ Interpreting and Translation Services worked for the respective local primary care trust delivering face to face language translation and interpreting services. They are a respected supplier within our large supply chain, working alongside our cohort of freelance interpreters and other private suppliers to deliver translation and interpreting services in Birmingham. We have flexible arrangements with our supply chain partners and as such the volume of work delivered by AtoZ Interpreting and Translation Services has fluctuated in line with our requirements.
The service delivered by AtoZ Interpreting and Translation Services is good and in line with our contractual arrangement with them. Operational queries are dealt with promptly by their Managing Director and there are no outstanding issues to date. Contract volume is subject to variance, depending on the needs of our client and availability. AtoZ Interpreting and Translation Services have delivered services that are both planned and on short notice on occasion. The maximum number of jobs delivered per annum by AtoZ Interpreting and Translation Services was 20,000 in 2015. AtoZ Interpreting and Translation Services are able to provide interpreters who are fluent in circa 100 languages, including but not limited to Polish, Urdu, Albanian, Italian, Slovak and Hindi.
RSVP is a well-established rape and sexual abuse charity, covering the whole of Birmingham and Solihull. We have worked with A to Z for some time now. They help us to support women who have fled their own country and are claiming asylum in the UK due to experiences of sexual trauma. A to Z are confidential, show empathy when dealing with this particularly sensitive issue and are experienced in interpreting and translation. They are a professional company to work with.
In my role as a Family Support Worker, I work with children and families speaking different languages. I have been using A to Z interpreting services for last 5 years as they have a variety of interpreters speaking different languages, for example Arabic, Bangladeshi, Romanian, Polish and Spanish. Staff members at A to Z are very accommodative as they would provide male/female interpreter on my request and email me name of an interpreter in advance.
Pharmatech have been using A to Z interpreting services since 2015, for translation of their in depth Technical Documentation for equipment sold to overseas Customer’s. We have always been extremely happy with their prompt and efficient service, and as such would be happy to recommend them for such work
