Our Founders

ASC was the inspiration of Travers Reid, a lifelong stammerer and successful businessman, who was determined to provide help to children who stammer throughout the UK.  Travers founded the charity in 1989 along with the late Dr Lena Rustin, an internationally recognised Speech and Language Therapist.

The Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children was founded in 1993 as a national specialist centre.  Travers was awarded a Fellowship award by the Royal College of Speech  & Language therapists for his services and dedication.

The Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children was officially opened in 1993 as a joint initiative between ASC and the then Camden & Islington Community Health Services NHS Trust. The official opening, which received wide press coverage, fulfilled Lena Rustin’s longstanding ambition to establish a centre of excellence in the UK for the treatment of children who stammer.

Lena Rustin’s experience in the field of stammering has been recognised both in the UK and internationally. She was supported in this venture by Travers Reid, a prominent businessman and founding Chairman of the charity, whose experiences of childhood stammering had convinced him of the need for such a centre.

Michael Palin agreed to the centre being named after him following his role in “A Fish Called Wanda”, in which he portrayed a character called Ken who stammered. He based the role on his own father who suffered from stammering all his life. Michael’s continued support and involvement has helped create a high profile for the Centre and the Charity.