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Annual Report 2024/25

Charity no. 801171 Company no. 02328627

Action for Stammering Children is the UK charity for children and young people who stammer, their families, and the communities who support them.

We’re here to make sure that every child who stammers has the support, respect and confidence to live the life they want to lead.

We support and empower parents, caregivers and professionals; facilitate and champion research; and campaign for changes in policy and societal attitudes.

2 THE YEAR IN REVIEW

42 FINANCIAL REVIEW

4 Message from the Chair

44 Breakdown of Charitable Income

6 The Year in Numbers

46 Breakdown of Charitable Expenditure

8 A Strategic Approach to Charity Activity

48 Trustee’s Report

10 OUR IMPACT

12 Introduction
14 Access: Opening doors to expertise
22 Support: Information & Resources
26 Change: research, policy & campaigns
32 Connection: Community Programmes
54 Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Action for Stammering Children

56 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

58 Statement of Financial Activities

59 Balance Sheet
60 Statement of Cash Flows
62 Notes to the Financial Statements

36 LOOKING AHEAD TO 2025-26

78 The Charity, Trustees and Advisers

40 Priorities for 2025-26

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The Year in Review

Message from the Chair

At Action for Stammering Children, we think carefully about what we need to do in line with our charitable objectives, how we are going to do it – and then we do it. And we challenge ourselves about impact. This is what you will see here in our Annual Report for 2024/25 that I am delighted to introduce.

2024/25 was a year full of activity. We really pack a punch in order to better support children and young people who stammer and their families.

With a robust, professional but still small organisation, we’ve been able cautiously to expand our capacity and projects in order to do more and to reach further across the country – all aligned with our strategic objectives.

Our Stammering Support Hub that provides information and support to young people, parents and professionals is now very well-established. The Support Hub has been

much informed by our Service Mapping Project that has enabled us to set up a comprehensive database of speech and language services for children who stammer across the UK, a hugely valuable resource. So too is our Stammer Awareness Toolkit that provides information, training and advice for educational professionals of how better to support pupils who stammer. It was launched in October 2024 to mark International Stammering Awareness Day. We know that many teachers have not felt confident in dealing with young people who stammer. We know that some pupils who stammer are reluctant to participate and speak out in class. But here is a practical toolkit, now in use, that seeks to bridge the gap.

I am particularly pleased at the strides we have made in championing research into stammering, so sorely needed. In partnership with the James Lind Alliance , we have identified the top ten research priorities in the field of childhood stammering, involving huge numbers of young people, parents, education and health professionals as well as academics in the field. The final Top 10 Research Priorities were launched this year, providing a sound basis on which key research needs can be addressed. Collaboration is the name of the game on research and ASC was pleased to become a collaborator on the NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research) £1.5m grant to develop a digital platform, Super Penguin, to support young people who stammer.

There is just a small flavour of what ASC has been doing over the year. There has been so much more, as you’ll read in this report. Has our activity been impactful, always the key question any charity must ask itself? In short, yes – as we’ve detailed below. But there is so much more to do. I have confidence that ASC, with our partners, has been and will continue to be an effective part of that charge.

Dame Jane Roberts Chair of Board of Trustees

Annual Report 2024/25

The Year in Numbers

Over visitors accessed online and in-person support from the Stammering 8,000 Support Hub

Contributed evidence The Stammer Awareness to two government Toolkit for schools consultations launched

150

young people & their families accessed expert support and therapy

professionals reached First UK-wide database of NHS with the Stammer speech & language therapy Awareness Toolkit services for stammering

Annual Report 2024/25

A Strategic Approach to Charity Activity

To achieve its mission, the Charity undertakes activities and projects across the following three key areas:

1 ~~2~~

The three key areas align with our six strategic goals:

To increase access to effective therapy services for children and young people across the UK who stammer.

To empower children and young people who stammer by giving them a voice within our organisation and in society.

~~3~~

Information, community & support ~~4~~ Championing research 5

~~4~~

To assist the parents of children and young people who stammer, so that they are better able to support their child.

To improve the ability of speech and language therapists to provide effective services to children and young people who stammer.

To promote research into the most effective treatment of stammering in children and young people.

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Changing policies
& attitudes
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~~6~~

To promote awareness of stammering and the impact it has on children and young people’s lives, and to change public perceptions.

Annual Report 2024/25

Our impact

Introduction

Action for Stammering Children has been a hive of activity in 2024/25; welcoming new members to the team, launching exciting new projects, and expanding our reach through UKwide support, advocacy and research activities.

In the first quarter of the year, we welcomed three new members to the team who have been instrumental in helping us diversify our activities and outreach. We embedded the Stammering Support Hub, bringing in a dedicated Support Hub Advisor to handle enquiries from families, young people and professionals.

Over the summer, we followed up on our work mapping NHS service providers across England, by examining speech and language therapy services available to those living in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This information is integral to the work of our Support Hub Advisor and informs our public policy work. We reinvigorated our Stambassador Network with a special Networking Reception in Green Park, sponsored by one of our corporate partners.

In the autumn, we published the very first James Lind Alliance Top 10 Research Priorities in Developmental Childhood Stammering in the UK at University College London. To mark International Stammering Awareness Day, we launched the second of our UK-wide initiatives, the Stammer Awareness Toolkit, for primary and secondary schools. We rounded off the autumn welcoming mentees to cohort three of the ASC Mentoring Scheme, which ran until April 2025.

Alongside this work, we have been developing our policy influencing and advocacy activity. Notable milestones for us this year include contributing to the Commission for the Future of Oracy Education in England, and making our first submission to a UK Government Consultation.

Our annual report details the difference we make to the lives of children, young people and their families, and is organised around the four ways that we make an impact:

Access: opening doors to expertise Support: information and resources Change: research, policy and campaigns Connection: community programmes

Thank you for your continued support of our work – we have big aspirations for 2025/26 and hope that you will help us to be bigger, bolder and ambitious in the year to come.

Annual Report 2024/25

Key Area 1

With the right support, every child and young person who stammers can unlock their potential. For some, that means choosing to seek expert guidance and therapy services. We work to provide access to these opportunities so that every child can get specialist help if they want it, no matter their background.

In partnership with leading organisations across the sector, we fund places on therapy courses, provide bursaries and run a 1:1 career mentoring programme – helping young people grow confidence, build connections and set their own path towards their future.

With over three decades of experience, we know what works, where the gaps are and how to make a real difference.

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Project
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Talking Out Stammering Courses

Described by a number of participants as ‘life-changing’, we’re proud to fully fund courses for young people who stammer, delivered by non-profit speech and language therapy service, Talking Out Ltd. These in-person and online courses help young people to build confidence, grow resilience and connect with others who understand what it’s like to stammer.

“I now feel that

I shouldn’t hide my stammer, and that I should say what I want to say, and not let my stammer hold me back.”

Young person attending the April 2024 residential

Both online and residential courses aim to promote the following skills amongst participants:

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= Decreased sensitivity A more positive
to stammering attitude to speaking
Confidence in Positive thinking
communicating skills
oo
Problem solving A peer support
and self-help skills network
oe
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The week-long residential courses integrate dedicated therapy sessions with outdoor activities that encourage the young people to challenge themselves. In addition to the direct work with teenagers, the course offers support to parents/carers who attend online evening sessions throughout the week to promote carry-over of skills and help young people to maintain what they have learnt when they return home.

The stammering courses also provide an opportunity for student speech and language therapists to gain experience in working with young people who stammer, which not only contributes to their professional development but encourages them to consider specialising in this clinical area once qualified.

The Talking Out programme provides six-months of therapeutic support encompassing a one-week online or residential course, online parent sessions, and two follow-up days at three- and six-months post-course to monitor longer-term impact of the therapy programme. In 2024/25, we funded four courses:

A one-week online course for teenagers in April 2024.
Two one-week residential courses for teenagers in May and October 2024.
A one-week online course in February 2025.

Beneficiaries accessing the Stammering Residential Course with specialist speech and language therapists, Ben and Teresa.

Annual Report 2024/25

Young person participating in the speech & language therapy session on the Talking Out Residential Stammering Course (May 2024)

Following ongoing discussions with our partners, we made the decision to open up more places for young people who had previously benefited from the programme this year. This decision was taken in recognition of the fluctuating nature of stammering and how stammering interacts with developmental transitions in adolescence. Working with our partners, families and young people, we are aware that the demands and pressures of adolescence can impact a young person’s experience of stammering, and that there is often an absence of publicly available support for this age group. We will continue to closely evaluate the impact of returning to the programme on beneficiaries’ outcomes.

“I became braver, more confident and I believe in

myself.”

Young person attending the May 2024 residential

“The course is an excellent opportunity to increase knowledge of the different presentations of stammering therapeutic techniques such as group therapy and CBTinfluenced approaches, and to practice supporting young people who stammer.”

Student SLT

51 young people + their parent/carers accessed the programme

Impact

10 student speech and language therapists benefited from additional pre-qualification experience in stammering

Number of beneficiaries by location

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North East West Mids 2.3% South East London
18.2% 11.4% 11.4%
North West
20.5%
Yorkshire
25%
East Mids Scotland
2.3% 6.8%
East of England
2.3%
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Young people participating in the Talking Out Residential Stammering Course (May 2024)

Annual Report 2024/25

Project

ASC Mentoring Programme

No one should feel that their stammer stands in the way of their future career. But we know that too many young people in this situation hold back from pursuing the jobs they dream of.

That’s why we created our one-of-a-kind mentoring scheme. Run in partnership with Sam Simpson of Redefining Stammering, we match young people with mentors from their chosen fields who also stammer. People who’ve been there and who really get it. Together, they explore real-world strategies, build confidence and develop practical tools for navigating the world of work.

In October 2024, we welcomed a third cohort of young people (aged 18 – 25) to the ASC Mentoring Scheme. Over six months, they worked with their mentor on their personal career goals and had the opportunity to network with their peers on the programme through closed online forums and events. Our mentors benefited from regular supervision with Sam, helping them to develop their own skills in mentorship and coaching.

Eight young people received 1:1 career mentoring from a mentor

Impact

Eight adults who stammer accessed supervision, professional networking and joined the ASC community

“Taking part in the ASC mentoring programme really improved my confidence. The personalised matching service has been so beneficial in being mentored by someone with shared experiences, and experiences in industries/positions of interest.”

Mentee from cohort 3

“I think the programme offers a great opportunity to feel part of a community and to feel supported by people with the same lived experience. It has been a total privilege to not only build a relationship during the one-to-one mentor/mentee meetings, but to have met the wider cohort during the group sessions. For me, sharing experiences, resources, stories and tips is a really powerful way to aid self-development and to work towards acceptance of your stammer.”

Mentor from cohort 3

Project

Michael Palin Centre

We have a long-standing partnership with the Michael Palin Centre, a leading speech and language therapy service for children who stammer. We were instrumental in helping to establish the Centre and continue to support their incredible work through providing a home for the specialist service at our Pine Street Building. Where we can, we also fund access to clinical support for young people at the Centre, providing a pathway to access for families across the UK.

Our multi-year project with the Michael Palin Centre has enabled us to fund specialist assessments and therapy for children and young people living across London. In the final year of this project, we were pleased to be able to provide funding to 18 children and their families to access the specialist clinical service provided at the Michael Palin Centre.

This year, our partnership with the Michael Palin Centre saw us provide access for:

Impact

Two teenagers to participate in the two-week intensive therapy course

Three families to access the one-week children and parents intensive course

Four children to access one-to-one therapy Nine children to access specialist assessments

Annual Report 2024/25

Bursary Schemes

Our bursary schemes are part of our commitment to making sure every child can access specialist support if they want it, no matter their background.

Over the course of the week, young people will:

Explore ways to experience Increase their understanding of more effective and enjoyable communication, speaking and communication stammering

City University Summer Intensive

We provide bursaries to young people (aged 13 – 17) wishing to participate in the intensive stammering course run by City St George’s University every summer. For families in London on low incomes, our bursary scheme helps make this opportunity possible.

The intensive stammering course is run by specialist speech and language therapists at City St George’s University and offers an opportunity for student speech and language therapists to gain practical experience in working with this population. Parent/carer sessions are offered throughout the week to support children in realisation of their goals.

The course is focused on developing confidence in communicating, resilience and self-esteem.

Meet other young people who stammer

Develop greater awareness of their communication strengths and skill

Build more resiliency around communication

Explore ways to stammer with less struggle and tension

Practice communication/ speaking goals that are important for them in their life

This year, we provided a bursary to two families, enabling their teenager to participate in the one-week summer intensive course. The bursary covers the course fee, travel costs for the young person and their parent/carer, and subsistence.

Forces Fund

We are aware that many service personnel families face unique challenges in accessing NHS speech and language therapy owing to short- and medium-term postings. In recognition of the needs of this community, we have introduced a dedicated fund available to children of Service Personnel enabling them to access any of our therapeutic programmes.

We have spoken with all of our project delivery partners to ensure that there is now a mechanism by which these families can be identified and the funding made available to them. In the year to come, we plan to proactively promote the availability of the Forces Fund to ensure that children of service personnel can access the expert support they need.

Annual Report 2024/25

Key Area 2

Support: Information & Resources

With over 30 years’ experience and the latest research behind us, we support families of children who stammer to feel more confident and informed. By sharing trustworthy guidance, we empower families with the understanding they need to access the right services and better support their children.

We also put our experience to work in supporting professional communities, sharing knowledge and practical tools to help them to help the children and young people they work alongside to truly thrive.

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Project
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Stammering Support Hub

Impact

therapy services and other support available in their local area. In 2023/24, we undertook a major piece of research to understand the NHS speech and language therapy provision available across England. This year, we have complemented this work by examining the status of speech and language therapy services in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales; resulting in a comprehensive database of publicly-funded speech and language therapy for childhood stammering that spans the UK.

7,924 Support Hub visits 348 enquiries handled by the Support Hub Advisor Completion of the UK-wide speech and language therapy provision database

Our Stammering Support Hub, launched in the autumn of 2023, is designed to cater for the unique needs of young people who stammer, their families and the professional communities who support them. Through 24/7 online support, we provide clear and accessible information on a range of topics.

However, we recognise that every child or young person’s experience of stammering is individual to them. For this reason, we welcomed a dedicated Support Hub Advisor to the team in April 2024, who is available on weekday mornings to offer tailored support and signposting to families, young people, and professionals. Working closely with our community means we understand the importance of offering a range of ways to get in touch with us, which is why the Stammering Support Hub is much more than a traditional helpline. For those who want it, they can contact us directly through the StammerBot, social media direct message, email or call us.

A key part of the Support Hub Advisor’s role is signposting parents/carers and young people to speech and language

ASC Stammering Support Hub

Annual Report 2024/25

Project

Stammer Awareness Toolkit

Over the past year, we have been working on a transformational new resource that aims to bring about positive change to the school environment for pupils who stammer.

The Stammer Awareness Toolkit is an e-learning portal available to education professionals working in primary and secondary schools in the UK. It empowers education professionals with tools, strategies and insights to help them feel confident and comfortable supporting students who stammer.

Co-created with young people, families, teaching professionals and speech & language therapists, the toolkit draws on the latest research about stammering. It blends practical training, real-life stories and universal classroom strategies that improve the communication skills of all pupils while facilitating greater participation of pupils who stammer.

A key objective of the Toolkit is to empower and educate about stammering in schools. We see the Toolkit as being instrumental in ensuring that pupils have the support they need to thrive, while also bringing about positive change in attitudes towards stammering. We are aware that many children who stammer face teasing and bullying in school. The Toolkit offers practical guidance, signposting and ideas for cultivating a more inclusive classroom environment.

The Stammer Awareness Toolkit launched with an online webinar to mark International Stammer Awareness Day in October 2024. Chaired by Youth Panel member, Ozair, over 40 attendees joined us for the launch. In March 2025, we unveiled the Community of Practice – an interactive community for Toolkit subscribers to connect, share best practice and resources.

Impact Launched a fully-funded universal resource for schools across the UK to promote understanding, awareness and inclusion

150 professionals have a charitably-funded 12-month subscription to the Stammer Awareness Toolkit

ASC Stammer Awareness Toolkit

Annual Report 2024/25

Key Area 3

Change: research, policy & campaigns

Research is how we understand what really works when it comes to therapy and improving outcomes. But it’s also how we listen to the community, so that we can make sure we’re asking the right questions to begin with. So that time, funding, energy and support go where they can have the greatest impact – both in our own work and across the wider sector.

We champion, facilitate and call for greater investment into childhood stammering research. We support it and help shape it, connecting it to real lives and real voices from our community. Voices that become the driving force behind future research, helping to make sure it focuses on what matters most.

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Top 10 Research Priorities

Over the past two and a half years, Action for Stammering Children spearheaded the very first James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership (PSP). Bringing together partners from the across the sector and involving parents/carers, young people and professionals from all over the UK, we were proud to publish the final Top 10 research priorities this year.

Researchers attending a special academic seminar to launch the Top 10 Research Priorities at University College London (UCL)

Dr Ria Bernard (ASC CEO), Dr Phoebe Avbulimen (ASC Youth Panel) and Professor Kate Watkins (University of Oxford) at the launch of the Top 10 Research Priorities, UCL.

The Top 10 Research Priorities comprise a list of unanswered questions about childhood stammering that would have the most meaningful impact for those with lived experience. They form the foundations for shaping the research agenda – helping us to make sure that we are championing research that will plug the gaps, build the evidence base and ensure that research is addressing the questions that children and young people want answered.

On 18th September 2024 at University College London (UCL), we held an academic seminar for researchers in the field of stammering from across the UK. Our panel generated discussion and debate about how researchers can play their part in addressing the research gaps and promoting the Top 10.

Publication of the Top 10 is only the beginning. Our job now is to get these priorities in front of researchers and funders – securing the grant funding needed to pursue these research areas. We have already got started with disseminating the priorities, which we shared with conference delegates at STAMMAFest. We were also thrilled to see the first citation of the PSP in an NIHR grant application this year.

Annual Report 2024/25

Project

UK-wide service mapping project

Last year, we completed the first ever mapping of children’s NHS speech and language therapy services in England. This information has been integral to families through the Stammering Support Hub; giving us the capacity to share details about local NHS services with families seeking professional support.

To complete this body of work, our research and policy summer internship this year focused on gathering information about NHS speech and language therapy services in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

We are thrilled to say that we now have a UK-wide database comprising information relating to NHS speech and language therapy services for children who stammer. In addition to the practical benefits of this resource, we have been able to use this information to shape our policy recommendations.

Stammering Collaborations

A key part of influencing the research and policy agenda and running effective campaigns is collaboration. As the UK charity for children and young people who stammer, we play an active role in the stammering community and value opportunities to collaborate with individuals and organisations. In this section, we share some of the collaborations that got underway this year.

NIHR Research Grant: SuperPenguin App

We are delighted to be a named collaborator on a threeyear £1.5million NIHR grant to develop the digital platform, SuperPenguin, which supports children who stammer and their families while they are waiting for speech and language therapy.

As part of this collaboration, we will be ensuring that the voices of young people and families are heard in the product development and contributing to research outputs. More on this next year!

Stammering Clinical Guidance

We are working with the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists (RCSLT) who are updating the clinical guidance for stammering and cluttering. A year long project, these guidelines will be informed by young people themselves through a series of focus groups. The guidelines will be published in the Autumn 2025.

ASC Research Policy Publications

Annual Report 2024/25

Policy influencing

With a stronger evidence base, we can also push for policy change. We work with MPs, partners and our community to make sure speech and language therapy is available, accessible and the best it can be.

This year has seen us lay the groundwork for this strand of our activity. Through the work we do with young people, efforts to diversify our offer to families and professionals, and raising our public profile, we have been instrumental in ensuring that the needs of children who stammer are recognised in broader health and education policy.

In this section, we share some of our achievements over the last year.

Oracy Education Commission

The Commission for the Future of Oracy Education in England was convened in 2024 to put forward a series of recommendations around access to oracy education in England.

Impact

We believe that children who stammer should have the same opportunities as their peers and, for some, that may mean making simple adjustments to classroom activities and exams. Working with the RCSLT, Voice 21 and organisations in the sector, we shared evidence with the commissioners at a specially-convened roundtable.

The final report was launched at the Labour Party Conference in September 2024 and we were proud to see the recommendations made reference to childhood stammering and the importance of facilitating participation of pupils who stammer.

NHS 10 Year Plan

At the end of 2024, the Government opened a public consultation inviting individuals and organisations to share their views on the priorities for the NHS over the next ten years.

A milestone for us as an organisation, Action for Stammering Children made its first written submission to this Government consultation – making clear the need to safeguard and increase resources for specialist stammering provision.

Published the first ever JLA Top 10 Research Priorities in Childhood Stammering

Created a UK-wide database of publicly-funded speech and language therapy services to inform our policy offer

Contributed evidence to two national consultations, ensuring stammering was recognised in broader health and education policy-making

Became a charity partner on one of the largest NIHR grants in childhood stammering in the UK

Youth Panel member, Phoebe, talking with one of our stakeholders at the Stambassador Network Reception

Annual Report 2024/25

Key Area 4

Ozair and Thomas hosted online public webinars about the Stammer Awareness Toolkit and Stammering Support Hub
Mike led a team of new supporters to victory at our International Stammering Awareness Day Pub Quiz
Phoebe spoke on the panel at our Research Priorities Seminar alongside academics from the University of Oxford and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)
Georgie kicked off our #MyStammerStory campaign with her heartfelt blog piece

Our community programmes – the Stambassador Network and Youth Panel – create space for shared support, connection and belonging. They also help to amplify our reach and ensure the voices of children and young people who stammer remain at the heart of everything we do. Here, we share an update on what our Stambassadors and members of our Youth Panel have been up to this year.

Thomas shared his hopes for the Top 10 Research Priorities as someone involved in the PSP steering group

Stambassador Network

Our Stambassadors Network is made up of inspiring professionals who have experience of stammering. They raise awareness of what it’s really like to stammer, helping to challenge stigmas and break down barriers in the workplace. They also give their time to support young people directly through our activities and events.

Stambassadors, Trustees and Youth Panel members attending our Networking Reception

ASC Youth Panel

The ASC Youth Panel brings together young people aged 15–25 who stammer. It’s a place to connect and share experiences with others who have similar experiences. The panel plays a key role in shaping our organisational strategy and advocacy work, ensuring the experiences of those who stammer are heard where it matters most.

This year, members of our Youth Panel have continued to inform and shape new initiatives and raise awareness about stammering in the news and local communities. Highlights include:

Introduced in 2018, the video interviews our Stambassadors record have become a highly valued and popular resource for young people looking ahead to their next steps post-16. With over 50 Stambassadors now working with us, it felt as though now was the time to take the programme to the next level; evolving this group of charismatic volunteers into a formal network.

In June 2024, we held an evening reception, officially launching the Stambassador Network. Courtesy of one of our corporate partners, the Stambassador Reception took place at a stunning location overlooking Green Park. Over the course of the evening, we heard from two members of the Stambassador Advisory Group, and brought together members of our Youth Panel and Board of Trustees.

From this point on, the Stambassador Network will play a more central role in the work we do as a charity; helping us to connect with employers, open doors to corporate partnerships and provide inspiration to the young people we support.

Annual Report 2024/25

Advocacy: A few highlights from 2024/25

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Sam Bagshaw on ITV Calendar
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Trustees at the Stambassador Network Reception (June 2024)
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Research Priorities Workshop, STAMMAFest (August 2024)

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Youth Panel review Wonder Boy
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Sam, Mike & Samuel, Stambassador Network Reception (June 2024)
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Will Laven on ITV’s First Dates
(February 2025) Access to Academic Learning Conference (October 2024)
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Natalie, Elliott & Ria, Media Trust Gala (November 2024)
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ISAD Pub Quiz art (October 2024) Bde: S el SS “ Media Trust Gala (November 2024)
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ISAD Pub Quiz (October 2024) Ed Balls on Loose Women (October 2024)
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Annual Report 2024/25

Looking Ahead to 2025-26

Case Study

Thomas

Thomas is a member of the ASC Youth Panel, and one of the young people who sat on the steering group of the JLA Priority Setting Partnership.

It was an absolute pleasure to attend the launch of ASC’s Top 10 research priorities at UCL. The event brought together an incredible mix of professors, clinicians, and young people from across the UK and Europe, celebrating over two and a half years of dedicated effort. As a member of the Steering Committee, I had the privilege of working alongside CEOs, professionals, as well as clinical and educational representatives from prestigious institutions such as the University of Oxford and UCL. It was particularly rewarding to collaborate closely with my fellow Youth Panellist, Phoebe, who brought invaluable insights to our discussions.

Witnessing the evolution of the project from its very first meetings to the distribution of the public questionnaire—where we received over 385 potential research questions from individuals across the UK—has been an unforgettable experience. Throughout this time, I had the chance to connect with other members of the Steering Committee, learning invaluable skills and gaining access to new resources that have enhanced my understanding of this field. Additionally, being able to speak directly with experts at the top of their profession in speech and language therapy was an amazing opportunity that provided me with a deeper perspective on the opportunities in this area of research.

Last November, we gathered volunteers from a wide variety of backgrounds

at the Coram Conference Centre in London, including SLTs (speech and language therapists), parents, and friends of people who stammer. Our mission was to narrow down the pool of 25 exceptional research questions to the final Top 10 that we believed would have the greatest potential impact. We were divided into four groups, each engaging in insightful and often personal conversations about our experiences and the perspectives we brought to the table. There was a powerful sense of community that formed as we shared our stories, and it was inspiring to meet so many passionate individuals from all walks of life, united by the same goal.

All 25 of the research questions submitted were of an incredibly high standard, which made the task of narrowing them down even more challenging. After several hours of deep discussion, and following a much-needed break with some delicious sandwiches and a slice

of Victoria sponge cake, we finally arrived at our consensus on the Top 10 research priorities. It was a fulfilling moment, knowing that the work we had done would guide future research in stammering, and hopefully bring meaningful change to the lives of those who stammer, both in the UK and around the world.

Looking back on the entire process, from the initial idea to this launch event, it’s clear that the work we’ve done will hopefully pave the way for more focused and impactful research. I am incredibly proud to have been part of this journey and look forward to seeing the change these research priorities will inspire in the years to come.

Annual Report 2024/25

Priorities for 2025-26

Support: information & resources

We plan to increase the number of visitors to the Stammering Support Hub to 10,000.

We are aiming to sign up 200 schools to the Stammer Awareness Toolkit in 2025/26, with representation across all four nations of the UK.

Looking ahead to the new financial year, we will continue to embed our newer initiatives; diversifying our offer to families to ensure we are providing the information, support and practical tools that children need to thrive.

Access: Opening the door to expertise

In 2025/26, we will continue funding access to specialist support for childhood stammering that would otherwise be unavailable to children and young people in the UK. This will include:

Funding places for 50 young people on the residential stammering courses delivered by Talking Out Ltd in 2025/26. In line with our commitment to diversity, we are aiming for 25% of participating families to live outside Yorkshire and the Humber region.

Fund 10 places for young people to access the online stammering course delivered by Talking Out Ltd, with 10% of places going to under-represented groups.

Through our bursary schemes, we aim to offer five young people from service-personnel families access to one of our therapeutic programmes.

Change: Research, policy and campaigns

One of our JLA research priorities will be included in a funding call made by a major grant funder, such as NIHR.

Two grant applications made by UK researchers that address one or more of the research priorities.

Publication of a new policy publication pertaining to the accessibility of speech and language therapy support for children who stammer UK-wide.

Connection: Community programmes

Launch the recruitment drive for the new members of the Youth Panel.

At least five Stambassadors involved in our activities with young people, representing us in their workplace or in the media.

Five young people will receive a bursary to access the City St George’s University stammering course.

Fund six months’ of 1:1 career mentoring for 10 young people who stammer living in the UK. Half of applications from mentors will be ‘new’ volunteers.

Annual Report 2024/25

Financial Review

Breakdown of Charitable Income

Sources of income 2024/25

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Trusts & Foundations
62.53%
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----- Start of picture text -----
Individual Investment
27.09% income
5.93%
Activities for
generating
funds
1.82%
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Income

Section 162a of the Charities Act 2011 requires charities to make a statement regarding fundraising activities.

The year to 31 March 2025 has continued to be challenging and total income for the year to 31 March 2025 amounted to £309, 767, up from £208,247 in the year ended March 2024. This was due largely to the charity securing increased Trust and Foundation income for core projects.

The Charity has complied with the relevant codes of practice. We have received no complaints in relation to fundraising activities (2024: none).

Reserves

Total general funds of £597,609 consists of £138,212 of designated funds and unrestricted free reserves of £459,397. Of these designated funds, £110,000 have been earmarked for expenditure on key strategic projects within 2025/26 to enable the charity to lay the foundations of the research and policy strand of the new strategy, whilst the charity actively seeks longer term funding.

Unrestricted free reserves of £459, 397 represents approximately 11.9 months expenditure, in line with current policy.

Reserves policy & going concern

The Trustees have considered the desired level of unrestricted funds, not designated for specific purposes or otherwise committed (free reserves). Given the nature of the Charity’s work, we have determined that the level of free reserves should be equivalent to nine to twelve months of expenditure. In our judgement, this provides sufficient flexibility to cover any temporary shortfalls in incoming resources and ensures that the Charity is able to continue its work, and also able to respond immediately to a reasonable range of unforeseen adverse circumstances, before remedial plans can be implemented. This policy will be kept under constant review.

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Corporate Trading income
2.1% 0.53%
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Annual Report 2024/25

Breakdown of Charitable Expenditure

Project expenditure 2024/25

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----- Start of picture text -----
MPC Talking Out
13.1% 21.3%
Elevator Pitch Stammer Awareness Toolkit City
3.2% 12.7% University
Course
5.6%
JLA Research Priorities
4.6%
Mentoring Scheme
6.8%
Raising Funds Other
18.3% 1%
Stammering Support Hub
11.9%
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----- Start of picture text -----
Youth Panel
1.5%
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Income

Following the unveiling of the charity’s new nationwide strategy, Trustees prioritised spending down restricted reserves and investing in new projects that underpin the national strategy.

Expenditure of £351, 935 in the year ended 31 March 2025 was marginally up from £311, 935 in the year ended 31 March 2024. The total expenditure of £351, 935 comprised the cost of raising funds (£64,442) and expenditure on charitable activity (£287,493).

Expenditure continued to be closely monitored, with much of the reported expenditure coming from restricted or designated funds. Key expenditure that reflects implementation of the charity’s UK-wide strategy include:

Expenditure on development of the Stammer Awareness Toolkit (schools project) for primary and secondary schools in the UK. An e-learning portal aimed at education professionals providing the knowledge, tools and strategies to effectively support pupils who stammer in the classroom.
Expenditure on the Support Hub increased due to employment of a dedicated Support Hub Advisor to manage enquiries received through the omni-channel service.
Expenditure for the stammering courses delivered in partnership with Talking Out Ltd was up on prior years as we funded two residential and two online courses in this financial year.
Expenditure on Project Elevator Pitch was necessary to more effectively communicate the impact of our work to funders and stakeholders.
The ASC Mentoring Scheme is delivered in collaboration with existing partners and is a core activity in our offer to older adolescents.

Investment powers and policy

The Board of Trustees’ policy is to invest in low risk, liquid investments. Accordingly, Action for Stammering Children invests its funds in cash deposits.

Annual Report 2024/25

Trustee’s Report

The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity’s governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” and the Charities SORP “Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)”.

Objectives and activities

Public benefit

The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.

Achievements and Performance

At the beginning of the year, the charity set itself the following objectives, most of which have been achieved.

Strategy strand: Information, community and support

Funded four courses delivered by Talking Out Ltd, which enabled 51 young people and their families to access a 6-month therapy programme.
Eight young people accessed 6-months of 1:1 career mentoring.
Eighteen children and their families accessed specialist assessments and therapy at the Michael Palin Centre.
We appointed a dedicated Support Hub Advisor to provide in-person support and signposting to families, professionals and young people living in the UK.
We set ourselves the objective of fleshing out our bursary schemes. Of the eight bursaries we had agreed to offer for the City University Stammering Intensive Course, we received only two applications, both of which were approved. We have agreed with each of our delivery partners that they will include a mechanism for identifying children of Service Personnel Families in their application process, enabling us to fund these places from our dedicated Forces Fund. No applications were received.
We launched the Stammer Awareness Toolkit for schools – an evidence-based e-learning resource for education professionals that provides the knowledge, tools and strategies to effectively support pupils who stammer in the classroom.

Strategy strand: Championing Research

We published the first James Lind Alliance Top 10 Research Priorities in Developmental Childhood Stammering in the UK
Our Project Partnership Process provides a mechanism by which researchers and other stakeholders can collaborate on initiatives relevant to our strategic goals, while the research area of our website offers researchers the opportunity to share information about ongoing research studies that beneficiaries can participate in.
We are in discussion with several UK academics about research collaboration, which we hope to progress in the coming year.

Strategy strand: Changing policies and attitudes

We are due to release our report into barriers and facilitators to accessing local speech and language therapy services at the beginning of the new financial year. The launch was delayed by the General Election.

Annual Report 2024/25

We will be launching a recruitment campaign to onboard new members to our Youth Panel in 2025/26, following discussion with existing members.
We have contributed evidence to the Commission into the Future of Oracy Education in England, and to the NHS 10 Year Plan Consultation.

Financial Review

Reserves policy

It is the policy of the charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level between nine to twelve months of budgeted expenditure (£347k to £463k). Actual unrestricted free reserves of £459,397 at 31 March 2025 represented approximately 11.9 months of budgeted expenditure. The trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised. This level of reserves has been maintained throughout the year.

Structure, governance and management

Constitution

The Charity is registered as a charitable company limited by guarantee and was set up by a Memorandum of Association on 15 December 1988, which was last revised in September 2014, and as a charity on 21 March 1989. The company was established under a Memorandum of Association, which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its Articles of Association.

The members of the charitable company include the Trustees. Members of the charitable company guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 to the assets of the charitable company in the event of winding up.

Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees

The management of the Charity is the responsibility of the Trustees who are elected and co-opted under the terms of the Articles of Association.

The Board of Trustees seeks to ensure that the interests of children who stammer are appropriately represented in the Trustee body. Prospective board members are appointed by the board either after an external recruitment or, less often, having been nominated by a board member. The Trustees also aim to maintain a broad mix of backgrounds and business skills on the Board.

The Board of Trustees is committed to being a diverse and inclusive body. The skills and experience of Trustees are reviewed regularly, which also informs recruitment of new Trustees. New Trustees take part in a full induction programme covering all aspects of the work of the Charity, its governance and finances.

The Trustees are directors for the purpose of company law and trustees for the purpose of charity law. The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:

•	Dame J E Roberts	•	Zain Ghani
•	Alison Lowton	•	Natalie Carver
•	Archna Rahulan	•	Joseph Allen
•	Anya Paul	•	Felicity Baker
•	Richard Murray	•	Christopher Smith
•	Stephen McAteer	•	David Broom (until 20th
•	Juliet Leach		March 2025)

None of the trustees has any beneficial interest in the company. All of the trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up.

The company’s current policy concerning the payment of trade creditors is to follow the CBI’s Prompt Payers Code (copies are available from the CBI, Centre Point, 103 New Oxford Street, London WC1A 1DU).

Annual Report 2024/25

Organisational Structure

The Charity’s Board of Trustees meets in person or online, at least five times per annum. At the end of March 2025, the Board comprises 13 members from a variety of professional backgrounds, many of whom have experience of stammering, either personally or through a family member. Trustees retire by rotation after three years, but are eligible for re-election for up to three terms of office. The Chief Executive of the Charity implements the strategy set by the Trustees and has a prime responsibility for fundraising.

Relationship with Related Parties and cooperation with other organisations

The work of Action for Stammering Children is centred around three key action areas: (I) information, community and support; (ii) championing research; (iii) influencing societal attitudes and public policy. Direct work with beneficiaries is largely delivered through our partnership projects to ensure that children receive expert support that would not be available through the NHS, for example, specialist stammering courses. This year, we have collaborated with a number of project partners to deliver effective support to our beneficiaries, including Talking Out Ltd., the Michael Palin Centre (MPC), City University, and Redefining Stammering.

In addition, Action for Stammering Children has worked with the Hear in Hull team, the James Lind Alliance, the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists (RCSLT), and Bene Talk Ltd (SuperPenguin research team) to meet its strategic objectives around advocacy and promoting research.

The Charity has a strict conflict of interest policy and declarations are made at the start of every trustee meeting.

Pay Policy for Senior Staff

All Trustees give their time freely and no Trustee received remuneration in the year. The Board has overall responsibility for the pay policy and the salaries of staff. The Chair, Treasurer

and Company Secretary oversees the administration of the pay policy, evaluates employee performance and decides on any changes to pay.

Our general principles are to pay our employees a fair salary that is competitive within the charity sector, proportionate to the complexity of the role, and responsible in line with our charitable objectives.

Risk Policy

The Board of Trustees continues to review and evaluate the key risks faced by the charity at Board meetings throughout the year. A formal risk register is maintained to record ongoing risk assessments and track key mitigating activity. The key risks of the charity include risks associated with its governance, delivery of key strategic objectives, safeguarding of charitable assets and compliance with regulation.

The Board of Trustees ensures that robust policies, procedures, systems and financial controls are in place to mitigate key risks to protect the reputation of the charity. The risks to the Charity have been reviewed throughout the year and the Risk Register maintained, together with any risk mitigating plans. The key risks continue to be fundraising, due to the difficulties in obtaining large or multi-year grants and the recent loss of a key long term funder. Additionally, the current economic environment and limited operational capacity has been noted as contributing to fundraising issues. New risks include the changing relationship with Whittington Health NHS Trust in terms of communicating this new association and managing future funding arrangements.

The trustees’ report was approved by the Board of Trustees.

Dame Jane Roberts

Chair of Board of Trustees

Dated: 20th November 2025

Annual Report 2024/25

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Action for Stammering Children

I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Action for Stammering Children (the charity) for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the trustees of the charity (and also its directors for the purposes of company law), you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act 2011.

Independent examiner’s statement

Since the charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000, the independent examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of ICAEW, which is one of the listed bodies.

accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 386 of the Companies Act 2006.
the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 other than any requirement that the financial statements give a true and fair view, which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their financial statements in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.

Katherine Wilkes FCA DChA

SIGN CMU Gravita Audit Oxford LLP First Floor, Park Central 40-41 Park End Street Oxford OX1 1JD

Dated: 17 December 2025

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

Annual Report 2024/25

Financial Statements

Statement of Financial Activities

(including income and expenditure account) For the year ended 31 March 2025

For the year ended 31 March 2025
	Unrestricted Funds 2025 Restricted Funds 2025 Total 2025 Unrestricted Funds 2024 Restricted Funds 2024 Total 2024
	General Designated General General Designated
Note Income from: Donations and legacies 3 Charitable activities 4 Investments 5 Total Income Expenditure on: Raising funds 6 Charitable activities 7 Total expenditure Net income/(expenditure) Transfer between funds Net movement in funds 10 Reconciliation of funds Fund balances at 1 April 2024 Fund balances at 31 March 2025	£ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ 191,862 - 97,206 289,068 133,960 - 60,922 194,882 2,343 - - 2,343 2,759 - - 2,759 18,356 - - 18,356 10,606 - - 10,606
	212,561 - 97,206 309,767 147,325 - 60,922 208,247
	64,442 - - 64,442 49,401 - - 49,401 101,451 111,788 74,254 287,493 92,605 65,527 104,402 262,534
	165,893 111,788 74,254 351,935 142,006 65,527 104,402 311,935
	46,668 (111,788) 22,952 (42,168) 5,319 (65,527) (43,480) (103,688) - - - - (15,527) 15,527 - -
	46,668 (111,788) 22,952 (42,168) (10,208) (50,000) (43,480) (103,688) 412,729 250,000 693,124 1,355,853 422,937 300,000 736,604 1,459,541
	459,397 138,212 716,076 1,313,685 412,729 250,000 693,124 1,355,853

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

Balance Sheet

As at 31 March 2025

	2025 2024
Note Fixed assets: Tangible assets 14 Current assets: Debtors 15 Cash at bank and in hand Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 16 Net current assets Total assets less current liabilities The funds of the charity Restricted income funds 19 Unrestricted funds - general 21 Unrestricted funds - designated 20	£ £ 592,000 592,000 4,034 1,579 768,698 822,160
	772,732 823,739 (51,047) (59,886)
	721,685 763,853
	1,313,685 1,355,853
	716,076 693,124 459,397 412,729 138,212 250,000
	1,313,685 1,355,853

The company is entitled to the exemption from the audit requirement contained in section 477 of the Companies Act 2006, for the year ended 31 March 2025.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

The financial statements were approved by the trustees on

20th November 2025

Dame J E Roberts Trustee

Company registration number 02328627 (England and Wales)

Annual Report 2024/25

Statement of Cash Flows

For the year ended 31 March 2025

	2025 2024
Note Cash fows from operating activities Cash (absorbed by)/generated from operations 24 Investing activities Invested income received Net cash generated from investing activities Net cash used in fnancing activities Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	£ £ (71,818) (133,472) 18,356 10,606
	18,356 10,606 - -
	(53,462) (122,866) 822,160 945,026
	768,698 822,160

Annual Report 2024/25

Notes to the Financial Statements

For the year ended 31 March 2025

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

1. Accounting policies

Charity information

Action for Stammering Children is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

The registered office is The Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children, 13 - 15 Pine Street, London, EC1R 0JG.

1.2. Going concern

In the event of the Charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the Charity.

The Trustees consider that the resources available to the Charity will be sufficient for it to be able to continue as a going concern. The financial statements do not contain any adjustments that would be required if the Charity were not able to continue as a going concern.

1.1. Accounting convention

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity’s articles of association, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the Charities SORP “Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)” (effective 1 January 2019). The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.

1.3. Charitable funds

General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the Charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.

Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the Trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each

designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors which have been raised by the Charity for particular purposes. The costs of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

1.4. Income

All income is included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the Charity is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. Grant income is recognised when there is a firm commitment and certainty that the funds will be received.

Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation. Income tax recoverable in relation to investment income is recognised at the time the investment income receivable.

1.5. Expenditure

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been included under expense categories that aggregate all costs for allocation to activities. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular activities they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of the resources.

Support costs are those costs incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the Charity. Governance costs are those incurred in connection with administration of the

Charity and compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements.

1.6. Tangible fixed assets

All assets costing more than £1,500 are capitalised. Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less depreciation.

Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost of fixed assets, less their estimated residual value, over their expected useful lives on the following basis:

Freehold land and buildings: Over 50 years to an estimated residual value of £592,000
Office Equipment: 3 years on a straight line basis

1.7. Cash and cash equivalents

Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition of opening of the deposit or similar account.

1.8. Financial instruments

The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value. Fixed assets are recorded at depreciated historical cost.

Basic financial assets

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.

Annual Report 2024/25

Accrued income and tax recoverable is included at the best estimate of the amounts receivable at the balance sheet date.

Basic financial liabilities

Creditors are recognised as soon as there is legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay our resources.

1.9. Retirement benefits

The Charity operates a defined pension scheme for employees.

The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the Charity. The annual contributions payable are charged to the statement of financial activities.

2. Critical accounting estimates and judgements

Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated and based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. The Trustees make estimates and assumptions concerning the future.

The resulting estimates and assumptions will, by definition, seldom equal the related actual results. There are not deemed to be any estimates and assumptions that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year.

Key sources of estimation uncertainty

Depreciation

Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives. Expected useful life in this calculation is an estimate. A review is required annually to ensure no assets are being depreciated by more than cost, and that consumption is appropriate.

Deferred income

Income for projects is deferred where milestones have not been met by the year-end, which is entitlement and where project income is received in advance of contracted date.

3. Income from donations and legacies

	Unrestricted Funds 2025 Restricted Funds 2025 Total 2025 Unrestricted Funds 2024 Restricted Funds 2024 Total 2024	Unrestricted Funds 2025 Restricted Funds 2025 Total 2025 Unrestricted Funds 2024 Restricted Funds 2024 Total 2024
£ £ £ £ £ £ Donations and gifts 191,862 97,206 289,068 133,960 60,922 194,882 4. Income from charitable activities Unrestricted Funds 2025 Unrestricted Funds 2024	£ £ £ £ £ £
	191,862 97,206 289,068 133,960 60,922 194,882
£ £ Book and DVD sales 1,656 1,742 Raffe 687 1,017 2,343 2,759 5. Income from investments Unrestricted Funds 2025 Unrestricted Funds 2024	£ £ 1,656 1,742 687 1,017
	2,343 2,759
£ £ Bank interest receivable 18,356 10,606 6. Expenditure on raising funds Unrestricted Funds 2025 Unrestricted Funds 2024	£ £ 18,356 10,606
Fundraising and publicity Events and fundraising Voluntary income staff costs		£ £ 2,659 3,770 61,783 45,631
		64,442 49,401

Annual Report 2024/25

7. Expenditure on charitable activities

	2025 2024
Direct costs Costs relating to Charitable Activities Assessments/Clinical Work ‘Talking Out’ Residentials JLA Research Project ASC Stammering Support Hub Youth Panel Mentoring Project Schools Project Stammering Tap Project ASC Elevator Pitch Project Other Charitable Expenditure Share of support and governance costs (see note 9) Support Governance Analysis by fund Unrestricted funds - general Unrestricted funds - designated Restricted funds	£ £ 71,326 29,165 39,168 39,117 64,826 58,095 983 11,885 4,801 6,078 187 142 8,604 6,198 24,546 1,234 400 - 6,115 29,987 1,158 336
	222,114 182,237 47,635 60,561 17,744 19,736
	287,493 262,534
	101,451 92,605 111,788 65,527 74,254 104,402
	287,493 262,534

8. Expenditure by Charitable Activity

	Unrestricted 2025 Designated 2025 Restricted 2025 Total 2025
Michael Palin Centre (MPC) ‘Talking Out’ Residentials ASC Elevator Pitch Project JLA Research Project Mentoring Project ASC Stammering Support Hub Schools Project City University Course Youth Panel Other Charitable Expenditure Previous year	£ £ £ £ 7,102 - 39,168 46,270 10,145 64,826 - 74,971 5,072 - 6,115 11,187 15,218 - 983 16,201 15,218 8,604 - 23,822 15,218 - 26,507 41,725 20,290 24,546 - 44,836 5,072 13,812 894 19,778 5,072 - 187 5,259 3,044 - 400 3,444
	101,451 111,788 74,254 287,493
	Unrestricted 2024 Designated 2024 Restricted 2024 Total 2024
Michael Palin Centre (MPC) ‘Talking Out’ Residentials ASC Elevator Pitch Project JLA Research Project Stambition Mentoring Project ASC Stammering Support Hub Schools Project Youth Panel Other Charitable Expenditure	£ £ £ £ 10,946 - 39,117 50,063 10,946 58,095 - 69,041 21,893 - 29,987 51,880 21,893 - 11,885 33,778 10,946 6,198 - 17,144 16,419 523 5,556 22,498 7,662 1,234 - 8,896 5,473 - 142 5,615 3,284 335 - 3,619
	109,462 66,385 86,687 262,534

Annual Report 2024/25

9. Support costs allocated to activities

	2025 2024
Staff costs Staff expenses Website costs Miscellaneous IT costs Accountancy Governance costs Governance costs comprise: Staff costs Independent examination fees Legal and professional	£ £ 17,130 46,174 7,190 3,022 913 1,177 3,794 4,233 6,033 2,955 12,575 3,000 17,744 19,736
	65,379 80,297
	10,852 13,263 4,860 4,500 2,032 1,973
	17,744 19,736

10. Net movement in funds

	2025	2024
	£	£
The net movement in funds is stated
after charging/(crediting):
Fees payable for the independent examination of the charity’s fnancial	4,860	4,500
statements

12. Employees

	2025 2024
The average monthly number of employees during the year was	Number Number 5 3
	2025 2024
Employment costs Wages and salaries Social security costs Other pension costs	£ £ 148,409 124,161 9,751 7,606 2,931 2,466
	161,091 134,233
	2025 2024
The number of employees whose annual remuneration was more than £60,000 is as follows: £60,000 to £70,000	Number Number 1 1

Remuneration of key management personnel

The total amount of employee benefits (including employer pension and national insurance contributions) received by the key management personnel for their services to the Charity was £76,625 (2024: £74,304).

13. Taxation

The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.

11. Trustees

None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or benefits from the charity during the year.

Trustee expenses reimbursed in the year totalled £296 (2024: £142).

Annual Report 2024/25

14. Tangible fixed assets

	Freehold land and buildings Offce equipment Total
Cost At 1 April 2024 At 31 March 2025 Depreciation and impairment At 1 April 2024 At 31 March 2025 Carrying amount At 31 March 2025 At 31 March 2024 15. Debtors	£ £ £ 592,000 60,814 652,814
	592,000 60,814 652,814
	- 60,814 60,814
	- 60,814 60,814
	592,000 - 592,000
	592,000 - 592,000
	2025 2024
Amounts falling due within one year Prepayments and accrued income	£ £ 4,034 1,579

16. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

	2025 2024
Amounts falling due within one year Other taxation and social security Deferred income Trade creditors Other creditors Accruals	Note £ £ 4,982 4,111 17 - 10,668 - 469 2,037 3,188 44,028 41,450
	51,047 59,886

17. Deferred income

	2025 2024
Other deferred income Deferred income is included in the	£ £ - 10,668
	fnancial statements as follows: 2025 2024
£ £ Deferred income is included within Current liabilities - 10,668 Movements in the year Deferred income at 1 April 2024 10,668 10,668 Released from previous periods (10,668) (10,668) Resources deferred in the year - 10,668 Deferred income at 31 March 2025 - 10,668 18. Retirement beneft schemes 2025 2024	£ £ - 10,668
	10,668 10,668 (10,668) (10,668) - 10,668
	- 10,668
£ £ Defned contribution schemes Charge to proft or loss in respect of defned contribution schemes 2,931 2,466

The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund. The amounts payable at the year end were £644 (2024: £481).

Annual Report 2024/25

19. Restricted funds

The restricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used.

	At 1 April 2024 Incoming resources Resources expended Transfers At 31 March 2025
Freehold Pine Street (fxed asset) Training room extension (fxed asset) Assessments / clinical work ASC Stammering Support Hub JLA research project ASC elevator pitch project Stammering tap project ASC youth panel Michael Palin Centre Talking out Mentoring Scheme Previous year	£ £ £ £ £ 350,000 - - - 350,000 242,000 - - - 242,000 57,493 42,089 (40,983) (38,000) 20,599 15,612 35,117 (25,586) - 25,143 10,579 - (983) - 9,596 12,980 - (6,115) - 6,865 400 - (400) - - 888 - (187) - 701 3,172 - - - 3,172 - 20,000 - 30,000 50,000 - - - 8,000 8,000
	693,124 97,206 (74,254) - 716,076
	At 1 April 2023 Incoming resources Resources expended Transfers At 31 March 2024
Freehold Pine Street (fxed asset) Training room extension (fxed asset) Assessments / clinical work ASC Stammering Support Hub JLA research project ASC elevator pitch project Stammering tap project ASC youth panel Michael Palin Centre	£ £ £ £ £ 350,000 - - - 350,000 242,000 - - - 242,000 40,361 60,922 (43,790) - 57,493 34,210 - (18,598) - 15,612 22,464 - (11,885) - 10,579 42,967 - (29,987) - 12,980 400 - - - 400 1,030 - (142) - 888 3,172 - - - 3,172
	736,604 60,922 (104,402) - 693,124

Specialist Assessments and Therapy

Stammering ASC Tap Elevator Pitch Project Project

Funds are being used to provide access to specialist consultations provided by the Michael Palin Centre (MPC).

Funds were used Funds are being to create a new used to refine and animation film aimed at develop the charity’s parents in partnership brand strategy and visual with Hear in Hull. identity.

ASC Stammering Support Hub

Talking Out Ltd.

Youth Panel

Funds contribute Funds are being towards the cost of used to support Funds are delivering the residential the advocacy work used to run the stammering courses in of the ASC Youth Stammering North Yorkshire. Panel. Support Hub.

JLA Research Priorities Project

These funds are being used for the James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership into Developmental Childhood Stammering.

Annual Report 2024/25

20. Unrestricted funds - designated

These are unrestricted funds which are material to the charity’s activities.

	At 1 April 2024 Resources expended Transfers At 31 March 2025
‘Talking Out’ residentials Mentoring programme ASC stammering support hub Schools project Capacity building Forces fund Previous year	£ £ £ £ 75,000 (64,826) - 10,174 15,000 (8,604) - 6,396 50,000 - - 50,000 50,000 (24,546) - 25,454 50,000 (13,812) - 36,188 10,000 - - 10,000
	300,000 (111,788) - 138,212
	At 1 April 2023 Resources expended Transfers At 31 March 2024
Michael Palin Centre ‘Talking Out’ residentials Mentoring programme ASC stammering support hub Schools project Capacity building Forces fund	£ £ £ £ 50,000 - (50,000) - 75,000 (58,095) 58,095 75,000 25,000 (6,198) (3,802) 15,000 50,000 - - 50,000 50,000 (1,234) 1,234 50,000 50,000 - - 50,000 - - 10,000 10,000
	300,000 (65,527) 15,527 250,000

Schools Talking ASC Stammering Project Out Residentials Support Hub

Funds will be used for Designated funds promoting the Stammer to continue to run Awareness Toolkit to the Stammering education professionals Support Hub for a and onboarding further year subscribing schools in the UK.

Funds are designated to running two residential stammering courses and one online course for teenagers who stammer.

Forces

Capacity

Mentoring Programme

Fund

Building

Designated to fund Designated for a places on our therapeutic fourth cohort of programmes for children adolescents who of service personnel stammer. families.

Funds designated for an incomegenerating post for one-year.

Annual Report 2024/25

21. Unrestricted funds

The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.

	At 1 April 2024 Incoming resources Resources expended Transfers At 31 March 2025
General funds Previous year	£ £ £ £ 412,729 212,561 (165,893) - 459,397
	At 1 April 2023 Incoming resources Resources expended Transfers At 31 March 2024
£ £ £ £ General funds 422,937 147,325 (142,006) (15,527) 412,729 22. Analysis of net assets between funds Unrestricted funds 2025 Restricted funds 2025 Total 2025	£ £ £ £ 422,937 147,325 (142,006) (15,527) 412,729
	General Designated
At 31 March 2025 Tangible assets Current assets / (liabilities) *Per balance sheet* *Balance to allocate*	£ £ £ £ - - 592,000 592,000 420,229 138,212 163,244 721,685
	420,229 138,212 755,244 1,313,685
	459,397 138,212 716,076 1,313,685 39,168 - (39,168) - Unrestricted funds 2024 Restricted funds 2024 Total 2024
	General Designated
At 31 March 2024 Tangible assets Current assets / (liabilities)	£ £ £ £ - - 592,000 592,000 412,729 250,000 101,124 763,853
	412,729 250,000 693,124 1,355,853

23. Related party transactions

During the year the charity received donations of £375 (2024: £466) from Trustees and related parties of the charity.

24. Cash absorbed by operations

	2025 2024
Defcit for the year Adjustments for Investment income recognised in statement of fnancial activities Movements in working capital (Increase) in debtors Increase/(decrease) in creditors (Decrease) in deferred income Cash absorbed by operations	£ £ (42,168) (103,688) (18,356) (10,606) (2,455) (1,124) 1,829 (18,054) (10,668) -
	(71,818) (133,472)

25. Analysis of changes in net funds

The charity had no material debt during the year.

Annual Report 2024/25

The Charity, Trustees and Advisers

For the year end 31 March 2025

Trustees

Dame Jane Roberts – Chair

Company Registered Number 02328627

Alison Lowton – Company Secretary

David Broom – Honorary Treasurer & Vice-Chair (resigned 20th March 2025)

Charity Registered Number

801171

Christopher Smith – Treasurer (appointed 14th November 2024)

Richard Murray – Vice-Chair (assumed - March 2025)

Company Status

A company limited by guarantee

Anya Paul

Juliet Leach

Felicity Baker

Stephen McAteer

Day-to-Day Management

The trustees delegated day-today management to the Charity’s Chief Executive Ria Bernard

Natalie Carver

Archna Rahulan

Joe Allen

Zain Ghani

Independent Examiners

Gravita Audit Oxford LLP First Floor, Park Central 40 – 41 Park End Street Oxford OX1 1JD

Registered Office

Action for Stammering Children Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children 13-15 Pine Street London EC1R 0JG

Bankers

Lloyds Pall Mall St James’s London SW1Y 4BE

Annual Report 2024/25

7 BainCapital Phoebe Avbulimen

Action for Stammering Children

2025-03-31-accounts

Annual Report 2024/25

Contents

42 FINANCIAL REVIEW

44 Breakdown of Charitable Income

56 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Message from the Chair

The Year in Numbers

A Strategic Approach to Charity Activity

Introduction

Key Area 1

Talking Out Stammering Courses

“I now feel that

“I became braver, more confident and I believe in

myself.”

Student SLT

Impact

Number of beneficiaries by location

ASC Mentoring Programme

Impact

Mentor from cohort 3

Project

Michael Palin Centre

This year, our partnership with the Michael Palin Centre saw us provide access for:

Impact

Bursary Schemes

City University Summer Intensive

Forces Fund

Key Area 2

Support: Information & Resources

Stammering Support Hub

Impact

Stammer Awareness Toolkit

Key Area 3

Change: research, policy & campaigns

Top 10 Research Priorities

UK-wide service mapping project

Stammering Collaborations

NIHR Research Grant: SuperPenguin App

Stammering Clinical Guidance

Policy influencing

Oracy Education Commission

Impact

NHS 10 Year Plan

Key Area 4

Stambassador Network

ASC Youth Panel

Advocacy: A few highlights from 2024/25

Case Study

Thomas

Priorities for 2025-26

Support: information & resources

Access: Opening the door to expertise

Change: Research, policy and campaigns

Connection: Community programmes

Breakdown of Charitable Income

Sources of income 2024/25

Income

Reserves

Reserves policy & going concern

Breakdown of Charitable Expenditure

Project expenditure 2024/25

Income

Investment powers and policy

Trustee’s Report

Objectives and activities

Public benefit

Achievements and Performance

Strategy strand: Information, community and support

Strategy strand: Championing Research

Strategy strand: Changing policies and attitudes

Financial Review

Reserves policy

Structure, governance and management

Constitution

Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees

Organisational Structure

Relationship with Related Parties and cooperation with other organisations

Pay Policy for Senior Staff

Risk Policy