Sheffield Communication Open Day - June 2003
by Simon Zipperlen

Well, I think we can safely say that The Sheffield Communication Open Day on Sat 28th June was a total success. A clear 'MISSION ACCOMPLISHED' in that awareness was raised in the local papers and on the radio and a big bunch of people finished the day feeling fantastic. Also several new faces (new to us) with speech difficulties attended and are now aware of what can be done to help yourself and that Sheffield, thanks to the Speakeasy, is a great place to do it.

Some feedback from the Open Day:

"...The workshops were fantastic, and the food great! I enjoyed the whole day, and met some really inspirational people. [The] Speakeasy guys are pretty cool and I hope they have all personally benefited from being thrust into the limelight. I know...they will have done. May the momentum gained from expanding those comfort zones continue to increase for one and all." - Stuart Ford, Merseyside.

"Just wanted to write and say how amazing we think you are for pulling together such a great day on Saturday." - Phyllis, London.

"...the day was inspirational...Thank you." - John, Reading.

"My head's still glowing" - Norbert Lieckfeldt (with a sunburnt cranium), Chief Executive of The British Stammering Association.

And The Sheffield Speakeasy would like to thank everyone who took part to make it such a fantastic day. Particular thanks to (in random order):
Julian for the three-legged piggy and joke telling workshop laughs.
Andrew Harding and Cherry Hughes for stimulating workshop debates.
Phyllis and Kim for a "sexually liberated" (despite censorship) and sparkly multimedia and stage experience that left everyone moved.
The Great Babu for being truly GREAT!
Phil the BBQ King and family for fabulous food and weather.
Trudy for helping us find ourselves.
John and Vic for finding a top venue, fund raising, media expertise and radio broadcast.
Jamie for graphics and superb BBC radio broadcast (come along to the next Speakeasy meeting to hear this if you missed it).
The Sheffield Speakeasy for energy, vibrancy, spontaneity and "sex appeal" (Phyllis said we looked like a new boy band on stage. Speakeasy Girlies please return and redress this hormonal imbalance!).
Steve for his magnificent Gazebo.
Norbert Lieckfeldt for BSA support and promotion.
Robert for technical mastery to get the multimedia kit buzzin.
Stuart, Rittesh, Dave M, George, David P and Bob for inspirational snappy ditties.
Howard for guiding a room full of hyperactive open-day junkies to relax, have fun and let go.
Kate and Isabel for re-juggling family commitments to get there on the day to represent Sheffield Speech and Language Therapy.
Allan for ultra efficient web promotion.
And Simon Zipperlen for unstoppable enthusiastic g...g...generation.
If we've missed you thank you for what you did!

And guess what the whole thing cost us to put on? Nothing that's what! We made a net profit. So it cost The Speakeasy nothing, it cost the BSA nothing. We created it entirely out of the inspiration to inspire and we did inspire! So now we've done that what next? Watch this space!

For information about Sheffield Speakeasy, contact the BSA Information and Support service.