Dominic Barker Trust
Funding research into stammering
Autumn 2025 newsletter
We held another fun, challenging and informative Quiz Night in the conducive surroundings of the Royal Hospital School in April last year. The evening not only raised almost £1,500, but was also an opportunity to raise awareness and to update our valued donors about our research. Birtan Demirel gave an inspirational talk about his work in Oxford and the 12 teams were then put through their paces by our fiendish quizmaster Toby. Several guests commented on how valuable it was to hear directly from a recipient of one of our grants.
Autumn 2023 newsletter
On two beautiful July evenings last year, the celebrated D’Oyly Tarte Theatre Company gave two memorably brilliant sing-a-long performances of Oklahoma! at the spectacular location of Crowe Hall on the edge of the river Stour. Our chairman was part of the cast and the Company very generously donated funds to the Trust from the proceeds.
A big thank you goes out from the Trust to the cast, crew and audience.
Autumn 2023 newsletter
Craig Harvey has done it again… heroically losing three years of beard growth to fundraise for the Trust. We are extremely grateful to him for making this significant sacrifice again! As a child Craig had a slight speech impediment. He has since outgrown this but remembers well the difficulties and anxieties he experienced interacting with others.
Thank you, Craig.
Autumn 2023 newsletter
A huge thank you to those who were able to join us for the Dom’s Fund Quiz Night in April last year, held in the splendid surroundings of the Royal Hospital School’s Jellicoe Room. With your help we raised over £2,200.
Our chairman, Toby, was a fabulous Quiz Master - fully testing our wits with fiendish questions. The Royal Hospital School produced a delicious and plentiful dinner that satisfied both the gourmets and the gourmands among us.
The highlight of the evening, however, was undoubtably Birtan Demirel’s talk about the fascinating research work funded by the Trust that he is doing at Oxford University. As mentioned in our chairman Toby’s introduction, the ingenious method that Birtan has developed for public speaking was enabling him to address us fluently. What he had to say, and the way he said it, made a big impression on all of us.
We’re already looking forward to the next quiz in the Spring of next year, and we hope to see you there!
Autumn 2020 newsletter
We had a fantastic turnout of sixty-two eager quizzers for the Dom’s Fund Quiz Night in April last year held in the stunning Royal Harwich Yacht Club. Fortunately for those struggling with the questions the wonderful river views were a welcome distraction! Toby and Susie Kramers ran the quiz like professionals, with excellent questions fired out at a cracking pace to keep everyone on their toes. The competitive spirit ran high, but good sportsmanship prevailed and the atmosphere was very cheerful from start to finish. A big thank you to Toby, Susie, the RHYC staff and everyone who took part and helped raise £1800 for Dom’s Fund.
Autumn 2020 newsletter
Hats, or should we say ‘chapeaux’, off to Dom’s nephew William Barker and Freddie Horler who walked from Paris to Pangbourne in aid of a number of charities including Dom’s Fund.
It took them seven days to walk 240 miles, starting at the crack of dawn to avoid the worst of the summer heat, and staying in B&B’s along the way. “It was tough going but due to a resurgence on the final day we managed to finish with two hours to spare, with the final few metres coming down to a photo finish” says William. “We were immensely proud of our achievement and we even managed to remain on speaking terms!”
In summer 2013, Trustees welcomed the invitation to attend the launch at the House of Commons of the Employers Stammering Network initiated by the BSA and Iain Wilkie, senior partner of the management team at Ernst & Young LLP who writes: “The Network’s aim is to help employers create a culture where people who stammer can achieve their full career potential.”
On 2nd March 2013, the Trust funded a study day for SLTs at UEA focusing on ‘Stammering and Psychosocial Issues’. Welcoming delegates, The BSA’s Norbert Lieckfeldt emphasised the importance of establishing an evidence base around this significant aspect of stammering. Views were given from a number of perspectives: Dr Jo Hodgekins (UEA) gave a clinical psychologist’s perspective; Dr Tammy Davidson Thompson (Norwich Community Health & Care) talked about her survey of SLTs who work with adults who stammer, funded by the Trust and Ali Berquez (Michael Palin Centre) spoke about bullying and stammering. Dr Jan McAllister, who organised the event along with her colleague Sally Gascoine, described the research into stammering and psychosocial issues taking place at UEA.
Feedback on the event was extremely positive, with delegates benefiting from both the presentations and the opportunity to interact with other professionals who work in this area.
Professor Penny Cavenagh, Dr Steve Davis and Sarah Costelloe had the opportunity to present details of the UCS Longitudinal Study and their initial findings at the BSA Open Day in Cambridge in March 2013. The purpose of the research project is to identify the factors that lead to long-term stammering and using the theme ‘Who will recover?’ the team discussed the possible reasons why some children recover and others do not. Establishing the reasons behind this are key in developing our understanding of what stammering is and what can be done to target those children most at risk of a lifelong stammer.
Research funded by the Trust was well represented at the 9th Oxford Dysfluency Conference, which took place in September 2011, just as our last newsletter went to print. The conference is one of the leading international scientific conferences in the field of dysfluency bringing together researchers and clinicians and it provides a showcase and forum for discussion and debate about the most current and innovative research and clinical practices. Throughout the history of ODC, the primary aim has been to bridge the gap between research and clinical practice; to promote research that informs management, with interventions that are supported by sound theory and which inform future research.
It is therefore highly satisfying to see such a strong presence for the Trust with Sarah Costelloe and Dr Steve Davis, accompanied by Professor Penny Cavenagh, presenting initial findings of the Longitudinal study and Dr Tammy Davidson Thompson and Isobel Crichton-Smith each discussing their work, which was portrayed by posters, with delegates.
Donations can be made online, by BACS or by post, and Gift Aid allows the Trust to reclaim the tax on your gift.