20th Anniversary Celebration at Speaker's House

 

March 2nd marked the 20th birthday of the Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children.

 

During this time, the centre based in London, has helped thousands of children who stutter and trained hundreds of speech therapists. 

 

Maybe we should have guessed on that peculiar day 20 years ago that something special would come of it. There was a media frenzy – outside, broadcast vans filled the car park and surrounding streets, streaming live to the news and current affairs programmes on television and radio. Such was the power of the name, Michael Palin.

 

“It was a thrill to be present at this milestone event, surrounded by so many people who make such a difference for children who stutter,” said Jane Fraser, president of the Stuttering Foundation and a vice president of Action for Stammering Children, the charity behind the Michael Palin Centre.

 

A 20th birthday celebration took place on March 5, 2013, in the Speaker’s Residence at the House of Commons. This magnificent, historic setting was generously made available by Mr. Speaker, John Bercow MP. Michael Palin, attended the event along with Ed Balls MP, children and adults who have attended the centre, past and present centre staff, past and present ASC trustees, many generous funders, our NHS colleagues, and other supporters. 

 

The star of the show was Sean Ryan, 12, a young person who stammers. Sean addressed the assembled guests with confidence and panache. He demonstrated all that the centre seeks to achieve — that children who stammer have a voice; they have something to say and we are here to make that happen. 

 

Since 2006, the Michael Palin Centre and the Stuttering Foundation have partnered to help children through research, treatment, and training programs.