75th anniversary celebration

Help us tell the story of an incredible profession.

At the start of the RCSLT’s 75th anniversary year, we had big plans for celebrating the speech and language therapy profession and for recognising the incredible difference our members make to so many lives. Royal events were in the calendar, hub celebrations were lined up, and a special awards evening was envisioned.

Then, everything changed.

As the pandemic took hold, and the Black Lives Matter movement shone a light on injustices within the profession, speech and language therapists, assistants and students were tested and showed their mettle like never before, in wide-ranging ways –

• On the front line in COVID-19 wards.
• Maintaining their hospital and community-based services.
• Reaching out and innovating through telehealth.
• Stepping out of retirement or studies to provide support wherever it was needed.
• Striving to ensure continuity of provision for service users.
• Learning new skills, and leaving their comfort zones behind.
• Protecting the greater good by shielding at home where required.
• Preparing to return to a very different world while furloughed.
• Advocating on behalf of under-represented communities and providing leadership which has made an impact on the profession in the context of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Every member of the profession has played a vital role. And so this year, instead of our usual awards and honours, we’re inviting everyone to come together (virtually) to celebrate speech and language therapy, reflect on the time we are living through, and lift one another up.

Taking part is easy, and you can do it any time. The online celebration kicks off on 1 September. Just share a few words, a picture, a video, a drawing – anything which tells the story of the experience you and your colleagues have had and which shines a light on the value of the profession.

You can use Twitter or Instagram, or a public post on Facebook. Be sure to use the hashtag #SLTappreciation so others can find your posts.

RCSLT staff will be following along and drawing your contributions together to share on all our channels. We may even have a story or two of our own to pitch in.

Thank you for all you are doing.