North Hertfordshire group's October open day

Thursday 10th July 2025 - 10:52

Seven people sitting around a cafe table smiling for the camera

The North Herts Group (courtesy of Ramesh Summan, left)

The North Hertfordshire Stammering Support Group invites you to their Open Day on Saturday, 25th October in Letchworth Garden City.

Formed in 2022, the North Herts. group has been going from strength to strength and is organising their very first Open Day, which will take place during the same week as International Stammering Awareness Day (three days before, on 22nd October). Anyone can attend.

It will be held at Letchworth Library in Letchworth Garden City, North Herts, from 11am to 3pm.

Plan of events

11.00 to 11.30am – Ahmad Bismillah

Ahmad Bismillah is a trustee of STAMMA. He will give an introductory speech about International Stammering Awareness Day and STAMMA, and their role and function.

11.30am to 12.00pm – Nicola Barraclough

Nicola is a Speech and Language Therapist with over 30 years' experience in the NHS. She will talk about what we now understand about stammering, share a few ideas that may be helpful to consider if you stammer, and then offer the chance for people to ask questions.

12.00 to 12.30pm – Nigel Haley

Nigel will talk about his journey with stammering, and how focusing on self-esteem and self-development has helped him to manage his stammer.

12.30 to 1.00pm – Lunch

1.00 to 1.30pm – Hassan Mombasser

Hassan will talk about his stammering journey and the tools he has used to manage his stammer.

1.30 to 2.00pm – Rob Coe: 'A Teacher with a Stammer'

What is it like to be a teacher with a stammer? What are the benefits and disadvantages? How do you find the perfect role? How do you manage relationships with fellow teachers, students, and management?

Rob has been an English as a Foreign Language teacher for 20 years and runs the Cambridge Self-Help Group.

2.00 to 2.15pm – Break

2.15 to 2.45pm – Alex Kuzmenko

Alex will talk about his journey and how no one ever overcame a stammering block by avoiding addressing it.

2.45 to 3.00pm – Closing and goodbyes

Founder Ramesh Summan says, "The idea of hosting an Open Day has been with us since we set up our support group in July 2022 with one mission: to make as much impact as possible —both locally and nationally — for the stammering community.

'We have been working towards this through our quarterly support group meetings and our links with local NHS services. Our meetings take place across Hertfordshire, mid-Bedfordshire and London, as we aim to engage with a wide range of people.

It will be a wonderful opportunity to meet new people and reconnect with friends we haven't seen in a while.

'We hope to make the day a great success and to raise as much awareness and understanding of stammering as possible. We also aim to increase the visibility of the stammering community in North Hertfordshire. It will be a wonderful opportunity to meet new people and reconnect with friends we haven't seen in a while.

'We're a friendly and welcoming group, and we will be extending this same welcome to all who attend the Open Day. It will be inclusive and non-judgemental, meaning that people who do not stammer are also warmly invited to attend and learn more about stammering in a welcoming space that is open to all.

I look forward to seeing you and to making the day a huge success together!"

The North Hertfordshire Stammering Support Group's Open Day is on Saturday 25th October at the library in Letchworth Garden City, from 11am to 3pm.

Put the date in your diary and if you have any questions, email Ramesh at summanramesh@gmail.com

Want to see if there's a group near you? See our list of stammering communities & groups.

See what other events are coming up.