FROM PETER THOMPSON RURAL NEWS PHOTOGRAPHY
A retired North Kelsey farmer is to walk the length of Britain for a cause close to his heart - stammering.
Tim - pictured above - has suffered from the speech condition since his days at Brigg Grammar School and is now Chair of the British Stammering Association, a post he took up earlier this year.
“Talking about stammering is a hugely important part of what the BSA is all about. Most of us find that talking about our stammer can be really helpful. In the past few years stammering has increasingly been the subject of discussion in the media. And the social climate is ripe to build on that momentum,” said Tim.
Tim is planning to set off from John O’Groats on 26th July and head south, planning to reach Lands End in September, meeting and talking to people about stammering along the way. He wont be travelling in a straight line either.
“A central element of the walk is to involve and include as many people as possible, to build on the strength of community feeling we know we have.”
Do you live locally and have you been affected by a stammer? Then you are invited to meet and walk with the chair of the UK’s stammering charity Tim Fell who is walking the length of Britain, from John O’Groats to Lands End, to raise awareness about stammering. He will be doing the whole distance of 1000 miles unaided, inviting local people along the route to join him in a conversation about stammering.
Tim, Chair of the British Stammering Association, is doing the mammoth distance over two months to raise awareness of the condition that affects 700,000 people across the UK.
Despite media attention over recent years with films such as the King’s Speech and celebrities like Ed Sheeran, Ed Balls and Kelly Brown talking openly about their difficulties, stammering is still poorly understood and people who stammer are openly discriminated against.
Tim said: “Stammering affects hundreds of thousands of people regardless of background, profession, race, religion or politics. People who stammer often say that their speech makes them feel isolated and ashamed. This is why I’m walking the length of the country and talking to people who stammer along the way.
“We need to change the conversation around stammering from one of awkwardness to one of confidence. It’s only by talking about stuttering openly, by all of us, that society will understand the issues around it.”
This event will be the first of its kind to bring the stammering community together, and to share information with anyone who is interested in learning more.
People who want to join Tim on the walk or be part of the conversation can follow Tim’s progress on the map on the BSA website www.stammering.org/stamwalk
Anyone can join the walk at any stage for as long or a short as you like. Tim will be fundraising for the BSA and will be walking from 27th July to 21st September 2017. You can also follow the walk via Twitter @bsafell or on the stamwalk blog at www.stammering.org/stamwalkblog
■ Peter Thompson of Rural News/Photography is acting as Press Officer for Tim and can also be contacted on peterrural@hotmail.co.uk or on 07960246570 by text or phone.
The British Stammering Association (BSA), established in 1978, is a national registered charity. It is the only UK-wide charity which helps both adults and children who stammer.
The BSA provides information, help and support to all whose lives are affected by stammering.
There will be few of us who remember Dr Barbara Moore who walked from John O'Groats to Lands End in less than a month...circa Jan/Feb 1960...
ReplyDeleteI was an early teenager and her progress was reported regularly on our black and white telly; it was a main news item.
I think she had some Russian connection...and was a vegetarian.
In those days 'vegeterian' meant very little to us truculent teenagers, but she made claims that should would live to 150 years eating daffodils and some chickpea infusion.
She went to the USA later to walk across America. Unfortunately, she was knocked over and killed by a car.