BARNSLEY

CONTACT: Willie Ingram 01226 200778

BRADFORD

CONTACT: Roy Fish 01274 481 326

DONCASTER

CONTACT: Marilyn Silcock 01302 722970

HARROGATE

CONTACT: Peter and Pip Garside 01765 677494

Harrogate website

LEEDS

CONTACT: Lesley and Simon Benneworth 01937 573572

OTLEY

CONTACT: Ray Rundle 0113 2582892

ROTHERHAM

CONTACT : Geoff Clarke 01709 546995

WAKEFIELD

CONTACT : Ken Rollin 01924 275147

The YORK group was started in Nov 1998.

About 6 months after I had my stroke, my Speech Therapist asked if I would be interested in being a member of a new support group that was being set up.

I went along to that first meeting, with a lot of apprehension. I had lost my speech and my self-confidence! But, there were others there, who were in the same situation, all with various degrees of communication problems.

This was the beginning of the York Speakability Group.

We are now well established. We have meetings once a month and we also meet up for 'Coffee and Chat' at a local café every Monday.

For our monthly meetings we arrange guest speakers, outings, theatre trips and we also have an annual Christmas party.

One of the Speech Therapists from York Hospital is linked to the Group. She visits us every few months to see how we are doing.

She also arranges activities for us.

I asked several members, at our last meeting, what they got out of the support group? Here are some of their answers:

* Confidence

* Meeting up with Aphasic friends

* Getting out of the house and having a cup of tea

* Feeling that somebody understands you and how you feel

* Reward and involvement

* Friendship

That just about sums it up and what it's all about.

by Sue Lally

CONTACT Sue Lally 01347 811668

Email: bruce.steele@tesco.net