15 June 2026
Two speech and language therapists, Elaine Kelman MBE and Janet Cooper BEM, as well as campaigner Mikey Akers MBE have been recognised in this year’s King’s birthday honours.
The King’s Birthday Honours mark the extraordinary contributions and service of people across the UK.
Congratulations to our two speech and language therapists, Elaine Kelman who has been awarded a Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to Speech and Language Therapy, and Janet Cooper who received a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to Speech and Language Development for Children and Young People.
Elaine is a specialist in the treatment of stammering and works with children of all ages as well as adults. She recently retired as Head of the Michael Palin Centre for Stammering. Throughout her career she has transformed the lives of countless children and adults who stammer, and worked extensively with parents, teaching them how to help their children effectively. Elaine is one of our fantastic RCSLT advisers and supports with clinical enquiries relating to stammering.
Janet has extensive experience of children’s developmental speech, language and communication difficulties. She recently retired as a Clinical Lead for Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust’s Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy services in Staffordshire. During her career she set up and developed the ‘Stoke Speaks Out’ multi-agency programme to tackle early language and communication difficulties. Janet has been a huge supporter of the RCSLT, acting as one of our key advisers for the outcomes programme, and receiving an RCSLT Honorary Fellowship in 2021.
We are also pleased to see Mikey Akers, campaigner and founder of Mikey’s Wish Foundation, being awarded an MBE for services to Special Educational Needs. Mikey’s Wish Foundation works to advance health and provide relief for those with childhood apraxia of speech and other speech, language, and communication needs. Mikey was diagnosed with childhood apraxia of speech himself when he was 2 and a half and has been raising awareness of the condition and the importance of speech and language therapy for the last ten years. Mikey has worked closely with the RCSLT, leading the Invest in SLT campaign calling for increased investment in speech and language therapy services.
A huge congratulations to Elaine, Janet and Mikey on their outstanding achievement, and many thanks for all their dedicated work supporting the speech and language community.
