Colin Firth accepts role with speech charity (OK!)

Actor COLIN FIRTH has become vice president of a speech therapy charity in Britain.

The actor won an Academy Award for playing stuttering monarch King George VI in 2010 drama The King's Speech, and he is putting the experience to good use by supporting the Action for Stammering Children organisation.

Ed Balls announced Firth's appointment at an event in London this week (begs04Mar13), explaining, "Following his Oscar-winning role, Colin has now visited the charity in Leeds, and the Michael Palin Centre in Islington (north London) twice - and seen the completely transformatory work that Action for Stammering Children is doing for young people and the support it provides for parents as well.

"And so struck has he been that he has agreed to become a vice president of Action for Stammering Children, to help us with the next phase of work and keep raising the profile of the charity and change the perception of stammering."

READ MORE: http://www.ok.co.uk/celebrity-news/view/60289/Colin-Firth-accepts-role-with-speech-charity/

Colin Firth takes on vice-president role with child stammering charity (LONDON EVENING STANDARD)

Joe Murphy
06 March 2013


The King’s Speech star Colin Firth is to take on a new role championing children with stammers. The actor will become vice-president of the charity Action for Stammering Children, it was announced at Westminster
last night.

Firth earned a best actor Oscar for his portrayal of George VI’s struggle to overcome a lifelong stammer with the help of speech therapist Lionel Logue.

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls, who also overcame a childhood stammer, announced his appointment at a reception given by Speaker John Bercow to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children.

“Following his Oscar-winning role, Colin has now visited the charity in Leeds, and the Michael Palin Centre in Islington twice – and seen the completely transformatory work that Action for Stammering Children is doing for young people and the support it provides for parents as well,” said Mr Balls, who raised funds for the charity in his London Marathon run last year.

READ MORE: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/actor-colin-firth-takes-on-vicepresident-role-with-child-stammering-charity-8523275.html