The King’s Speech star Colin Firth is to take on a new role championing children with stammers. The actor will become vice-president of the charity Action for Stammering Children, it was announced at Westminster last night.
Firth earned a best actor Oscar for his portrayal of George VI’s struggle to overcome a lifelong stammer with the help of speech therapist Lionel Logue.
Shadow chancellor Ed Balls, who also overcame a childhood stammer, announced his appointment at a reception given by Speaker John Bercow to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children.
“Following his Oscar-winning role, Colin has now visited the charity in Leeds, and the Michael Palin Centre in Islington twice – and seen the completely transformatory work that Action for Stammering Children is doing for young people and the support it provides for parents as well,” said Mr Balls, who raised funds for the charity in his London Marathon run last year.
“And so struck has he been that he has agreed to become a vice-president of Action for Stammering Children, to help us with the next phase of work and keep raising the profile of the charity and change the perception of stammering.”
The Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children, in Islington, was founded in 1993 as a national specialist centre, and is jointly funded by donations and the NHS.
It has grown from an organisation containing one part-time speech and language therapist to an 11-strong team that helps children from around London and beyond.
