Somerset man turned his life around from battling stuttering to helping others in the UK

Many people in our region and around the world face an everyday struggle with speech difficulties like stammering or stuttering. It is hard to imagine the challenges these people face every day, both mental and physical. The film The King’s Speech highlighted the impact this can have on a person’s life, both public and private.

It is a constant struggle. But there is help and Matt Wilton from Street, who has suffered with a stammer all his life, has turned his life around and is now helping others with the same problem. It has not been easy, it was hard work.



Now 51, Matt sought help with The McGuire Programme, a worldwide organisation which helps people with speech difficulties. Having suffered with stammering for so long Matt has now overcome his own fear and has become regional director of the organisation in the UK. It has been an amazing journey for Matt, it has been hard work, the breathing exercises, the mental help, coping with the fear but it has all paid off.

With International Stuttering Day coming up on October 22, Matt is raising awareness and is hoping to help others. He said: “Since I can remember I have had to deal with a stammer or stutter that used to control my life and prevent me from being able to say what I wanted to say whenever I wanted to speak. “I used to wake up thinking about how I would have to avoid B, D and G words every day, and try to fool people and myself into thinking I was a fluent speaker because my stammer was only mild at times.

“Most of the time I succeeded but I still felt pretty frustrated, alone, isolated, trapped and at times embarrassed having a stammer. “People who knew me always said it was no big deal to them, but to me it held me back from getting a job, going into the chip shop, ordering certain drinks, making a seemingly simple phone call to the doctor’s and being myself in many situations. “These are simple things to fluent speakers but huge obstacles for me, even though I seemed pretty fluent to most people.

“I guess I was pretty good at hiding it so it did not seem a big problem when I spoke as I could avoid it. “But it was a huge problem in my head.” In 1998 Matt joined The McGuire Programme, which is a programme for people who stutter run by people who stutter.

The people helping know how it feels to struggle with this affliction. Matt said: “The programme was really hard work and I needed to be brave and willing to face my stammering demons head on. With the amazing support of the programme I gained so much confidence in those three days on the course and with the lifetime after support, I broke down all my past fears of speaking.

” Matt is now helping others, anyone interested in doing the courses should contact the McGuire Programme or alternatively visit the website at.