40th Anniversary Celebratory Dinner

Celebrating 40 Years of Communication Matters

Royal Armouries, Leeds | 14 September 2026

The Celebratory Dinner is fully booked and ticket sales are now closed.

We are celebrating Communication Matters’ 40th anniversary at the Royal Armouries on Monday 14 September and look forward to seeing many members, AAC users, families, friends and AAC professionals joining us for a fabulously fun and friendly evening.

Our after dinner speaker is Lee Ridley, who combines stand up comedy and writing, with advocacy for the AAC community in his role as patron for Communication Matters, The Sequal Trust, Smile and The Scott-Morgan Foundation.

See details of our Fancy Dress theme below.

Fancy Dress: 1986

Join us as we step back to 1986, the year Communication Matters began its mission to break down barriers in AAC. The dress code is 1986‑inspired, but it’s entirely optional … you can skip it altogether, give a subtle nod to the theme, or go all out!

Take inspiration from the fashion, culture, colours, or energy of the mid‑’80s, or interpret the theme in your own imaginative way. Whether you choose something simple, clever, bold, or completely re‑invented, we can’t wait to see how you bring 1986 to life.

Have fun, be creative, and join us in celebrating the spirit of the decade in whatever way feels right for you!

Fancy dress in 2024

We last enjoyed a fancy dress theme at Communication Matters International AAC Conference 2024. Our amazing delegates, speakers and trustes brought plenty of big hair, vibrant neons and creativity to the party. Let’s do it again in September 2026!

Sign our History of CM book

We have so much to celebrate. We are updating the History of Communication Matters book to capture the achievements and progress of the past 40 years as we have worked together to break down barriers for AAC users.

To help offset the price of the publication of this special anniversary edition, we are inviting members and supporters to add their own celebratory messages to the book.

You are warmly invited to include a message:

A short message of up to 40 words (for example “Congratulations CM – 40 years of improving communication. From the Smith Family“) is £50.

If you would like to write something longer about CM’s impact, a message of up to 100 words is £75.

Submissions are now closed for the 40th Anniversary Book.

Submit photos for the 40th Anniversary Book

Photos help us tell a richer and more meaningful story. If you have images that capture moments from Communication Matters’ journey over the past 40 years, we would be delighted if you would share them for possible inclusion in the History of Communication Matters, at our 40th Anniversary Celebration, or on CM’s social media channels.

You can upload your photos for free, along with brief descriptions and your permission for us to use them, using the form linked below. These might include snapshots from CM events, conferences or meetings.

The form includes space for captions and helpful details such as names, places, AAC methods or other context.

Thank you for contributing your photos and helping us celebrate and share the story of AAC and Communication Matters with a wider audience!

Submissions are now closed for the 40th Anniversary Book.