Around The Block

Friends, family, socialising & parties...'all the fun stuff'

Tue, 04 May 2021 16:56:57 GMT

In the final episode of season 1, Gemma & Matty chat about how stammering has impacted their relationships.

Realising they both have a very different approach to talking about it with family, friends and partners, they discuss why. And what about socialising, parties, meeting new friends and the effects of alcohol?

Thank you for listening and we'll back for season 2 later in the year. We promise we'll get better mics for next time. In the meantime give us your feedback! Email mail@stamma.org and tell us if this podcast has resonated with you.

STAMMA is the UK national charity for people who stammer. If you're at school, see our website for information on coping with stammering at school. If you're a teacher, see our resources for creating a stammering-friendly classroom.

Become a STAMMA member for free. Visit stamma.org for information & support. Start a webchat or call our helpline.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

School stories

Wed, 28 Apr 2021 09:13:38 GMT

Gemma & Matty look back on their school days and the times when they had to introduce themselves on the first day of term or read aloud in class - things which can be really scary for children who stammer.

They chat about the good and bad experiences they had from teachers, and the things they wish could have been done better.

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains mention of sexual assault, which might be triggering for some listeners. It is mentioned briefly and not at length.

In a special segment at 25:36, they play a clip recorded by Abed Ahmed, a teacher who stammers. Abed gives tips for other teachers for making things easier for the child who stammers, and gives advice for children who stammer themselves. Abed is a maths teacher and former STAMMA Trustee, and he runs an online support group for 5-16-year-olds who stammer. You can follow Abed on Twitter using @stammer_teacher.

Become a STAMMA member for free. Visit stamma.org for information & support. Start a webchat or call our helpline.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stammering in Bridgerton (and other media portrayals)

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 09:30:12 GMT

This week, Gemma & Matty chat with guest Lynne Mackie all about the Netflix series Bridgerton. The hit show features the main character Simon, who is seen to stammer as a child. Gemma, Matty & Lynne discuss how stammering is represented and ask if it's a helpful portrayal.

They also talk about how stammering is depicted more widely in TV and film, such as in The Umbrella Academy and A Fish Called Wanda. They also tell each other how they'd like to see stammering portrayed in the future.

Lynne Mackie is a YouTuber, writer and STAMMA Trustee. Read her article about Bridgerton for our website and check out her YouTube video. Follow Lynne on social media using @StammerOn.

STAMMA is the UK national charity for people who stammer. Become a member for free. Visit stamma.org for information & support. Start a webchat or call our helpline.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gemma's new job + Zoom: doom & gloom?

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 09:52:30 GMT

In episode 3, Gemma & Matty chat about their stammering stories of the week, then Gemma talks about her brand new job at the BBC which starts tomorrow.

Meeting her new team over video call is something she's anxious about, so they share their stories and talk about using Zoom in general. Has it made them both stammer more or less? How do they cope with having to see themselves mid-block? Plus, they explore the benefits of video calls for people who stammer and share useful tips.

Go to stamma.org for information and support for stammering. You can also sign up to become a member for free in just 30 seconds. Or, start a webchat or call our helpline, 0808 802 0002, both open weekdays 10am-12noon & 6pm-8pm.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stammering & mental health through lockdown

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 10:32:58 GMT

Gemma & Matty catch up after a year to talk about how the covid-19 lockdown affected them. They chat about how it massively changed their job situations, and the impact it had on their stammers, their mental health and their sense of connectivity.

If you've been affected by anything Gemma & Matty talk about, visit STAMMA's website at stamma.org. There you can start a webchat and get information, support, articles from people who stammer, and details of how you can become a member for free. Or call our helpline free on 0808 802 0002, weekdays 10am-12pm & 6pm-8pm.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing Gemma & Matty

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 11:00:00 GMT

Welcome to the very first episode of The STAMMA Podcast. It's a new podcast all about stammering, or stuttering, from STAMMA, the British Stammering Association.

Hosts Gemma and Matty chat about life, jobs and relationships as people who stammer. They'll also be talking about public attitudes to stammering, media portrayals, research, and much, much more.

In this episode we meet Gemma and Matty, and listen as they find out more about each other. They chat about growing up with a stammer, their jobs and how stammering affects them at work - Gemma in TV and Matty as the co-owner of a street food start up.

As Matty explains in the introduction, this episode was recorded in February 2020 before the pandemic hit. In the next episode we'll find out how they coped in lockdown with their speech and how their worlds changed.

STAMMA is the UK national charity for stammering. Visit stamma.org to start a webchat or call our free helpline; get information and support, find out about our campaigns, events and activities; read articles from people affected by stammering; and become a member for free.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.