Hello and thank you for taking time to read our newsletter.

 

We'd first like to share some words from a member with aphasia:

V (group member) : described his life before the stroke, then the Covid pandemic and then having his stroke: “Couldn’t speak and understanding. I felt what’s the point in living”.

He described feeling “annoyed” and “sad”. “Can’t drive, can’t speak, can’t enjoy TV”. The family was there but it was isolated”.

“A lot of my reading improved (but) I find it difficult to understand what people are saying, not just the words but the sentences, it’s the logic. I was feeling really bad” 

But at the group... “People are cheerful and we all share”.

He talked about diversity in the group - “everyone has different problems. There is diversity, everyone is different but they all have some problems. I said I couldn’t understand this guy at all (pointed to S) but I asked S can you write it for me and he said ‘I can’t write’, you don’t know how aphasia affect others."

The group..."It helps you understand yourself."

"Not just technical (you can do this you can’t do that) - but how you’re feeling. It’s positive."

"To know other people it’s really important to me. You feel friendly”.

 

NEW GROUPS

Hereford, Oxford, Sherborne and Yeovil opened in September

Redbridge in London opened in November

Cwmbran in Wales opened in November

 

PRESS

Our Founder, Colin Lyall was nominated for the BBC Radio: Make A Different Award and was one of the 4 finalists! Even though there were no winning celebrations, the award did help raise awareness for this charity and the great work we do. 

 

Our Worcester Peer Leader, Chris Greenhough attended the NHS Staff Awards with Lisa Thomas, a speech and language therapist and friend of the charity.  Lisa was nominated an award for her collaborative work in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, especially with her collaborative work with Say Aphasia.

 

NETWORKING

Our Darlington Peer Leader, Pete Coady has been busy offering talks about aphasia and his experience with brain injury due to a car crash. He continues to receive great feedback:

"Thank you so much for delivering your talk to the Speech and Language Therapy Society students yesterday at Newcastle University. It was a truly insightful and engaging session.

Students particularly appreciated hearing about your personal experiences with aphasia and hidden disabilities. Your openness and authenticity made a powerful impact. Many described the talk as motivational especially with your focus on having a positive mental attitude. Many students have also said it deepened their understanding of lived experience with aphasia.

It was a privilege to host you, and we’re incredibly grateful for you giving up your time to talk to us."

Lucy Smith, President of the SLT Society, Newcastle University

 

Our Thame Peer Leader, Kate Wilcox was invited by her speech and language therapist to talk at their local 'Allied Health Professionals' conference. Kate spoke about her experience with aphasia and the support received from various NHS teams.

 

  

FUNDRAISING

Our Darlington Peer Leader, Pete Coady used to work at Mondelez (Cadbury's) before his brain injury, and he applied for funding support from his old work, and received a generous £500.

SIGN UP TO THE BRIGHTON HALF MARATHON!

 

 

GRANTS 

A massive thank you to our latest funders: Barnstaple Town Council, Barry Town Council, Vale of Glamorgan Mayoral Fund, Bournemouth BH Coastal Lottery, Mid Sussex Council, Point North Community Foundation, Exeter City Council, Yeovil Town Council, Exeter City Council.

 

GROUP UPDATES

SKIPTON: Back in the Summer, our previous Peer Leader, Mark Chappell did a brilliant art exhibition before he left Say Aphasia. 

The project was called The ADAPT Movement after Stroke.  The work was displayed in Bradford as part of Bradford City of Culture events.

The project has been hugely positive for group members as we have all been able to share stroke/Aphasia stories with each other at the workshops and the academics have learnt from those living with Aphasia and Stroke which is positive.  

Mark has donated his fee to Say Aphasia for the artwork he has done for the ADAPT project. So far this totals £325.

Read more about Mark's exhibition here.

 

BURGESS HILL: Peer Leader, Howard Mitchell tried his hand at using AI technology to create a poem. Him and his group were quite impressed by how relatable it was!...

The Words Behind the Door

There is a room inside my mind
where language used to live—
bright windows full of sentences,
sunlight spilling across the floor
in syllables.

Then one day, a door closed.
Not slammed—
just quietly,
without warning,
as if the hinge had grown tired.

Now the words sit on the other side,
softly knocking.
Sometimes one slips through
like a bird who remembers
its old flight path.
Sometimes they scatter
as soon as I reach for them.

I speak in fragments,
half-built bridges,
the river of meaning beneath
still flowing,
still mine.

Do not mistake silence
for emptiness.
The world inside me
has not dimmed—
only the paths to it
have changed shape.

Be patient.
Walk with me.
Help me find the door
by listening to the rhythm
of what I can say.

I am learning new routes.
The words are still here—
each one waiting,
quiet but faithful,
for the day
I open the door wide
and let them come home.

 

WORCESTER: Back in the September, the group had a wonderful day trip to Willow Trust. Being out together amongst the community can drastically increase our members confidence with being more independent, and learning how to live with aphasia.

 

APHASIA NEW MUSIC CONCERT

Our Founder Colin Lyall took part in an aphasia concert where participants produced their own music. Each piece of music expressed what is can be like living with  language difficulties.

The Aphasia New Music Group performed at the Bloomsbury Theatre in London. It was fantastic and very moving. 

The Aphasia New Music Group unites people with language difficulties, professional musicians, and speech and language therapists. There was a band, and visuals created by artists Eilish Briscoe and Andrew Stooke, alongside members of their group forming the choir.

The Aphasia New Music Group is supported by the City Bridge Foundation, a private donor and the Tavistock Trust for Aphasia.

It was produced by Oedipa and the UCL Communication Clinic. 

 

HOW DO PEOPLE WITH APHASIA FEEL ABOUT OUR SUPPORT GROUPS?

 

 

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Shop online and raise money for Say Aphasia with Give As You Live

  

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