Friday Announcements – 20 June 2025
1. Try a High Quality ElevenLabs Voice in Grid
2. AT Maker Day
3. B7 OT Vacancy, CASEE – Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge
4. Family Fun Day at Hadrian School
News from Communication Matters
5. NEW CM2025 Great Book Draw
6. Call for Nominations for Trustees
7. CM Peer Support & Mentoring Project – Development Opportunities
8. CM2025 International AAC Conference – Register Now – 3 Weeks To Early Bird Deadline
9. We Need Your Help to Win a Donation in the My Favourite Voucher Codes Poll!
10. About Friday Announcements
1. Try a High Quality ElevenLabs Voice in Grid
From Hannah Craven, Smartbox Assistive Technology Ltd:
You can now use high quality AI-generated ElevenLabs voices in Grid, helping you to express yourself in a way that feels more natural and personal.
ElevenLabs voices are available for free for all Grid users over the age of 18. Apply for your voice here: https://thinksmartbox.com/eleven-labs-signup/
2. AT Maker Day
From Claire Harrison, CALL Scotland:
CALL Scotland is organising an in-person Maker Day at the University of Edinburgh, for budding Assistive Technology makers. Participants will learn about 3D Printing, soldering and design, plus print and build their own switches to take away. This free event is on a first come, first served basis.
Date: Friday 22nd August, 1-6pm at the University of Edinburgh.
Please get in touch with Claire Harrison to find out more or book a space: [email protected].
3. B7 OT Vacancy, CASEE – Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge
From Helen Murphy, Communication Aid Service East of England (CASEE):
An exciting fixed term/secondment opportunity for a skilled Occupational Therapist to join the Communication Aid Service East of England (CASEE) has arisen.
You would join our specialist multi-professional team comprising Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, a Healthcare Scientist, a Rehabilitation Engineer, an Advisory Teacher, Clinical Technicians and administrative support. This is a unique opportunity to develop a raft of specialist skills and experience in the exciting field of alternative and augmentative communication (AAC). The successful candidate will have the opportunity to engage in invaluable supportive professional development and learn a multitude of transferable skills to further their career in this specialist field or to bring back to their substantive role and add to their professional repertoire.
To find out more, please click here or contact us on [email protected]. Closing Date: 30th June 2025.
4. Family Fun Day at Hadrian School
From Miriam Watson-Pratt, North East CANN:
Saturday 28th June from 11am to 2pm, Free Entry.
The family fun day is a great opportunity for families to find out information about local services, socialise with friends old and new, and raise money for Hadrian School. There’ll be music, games, a fairground, food and much more! If you are interested in having a stall, please let us know. Email [email protected].
Venue: Hadrian School, Bertram Crescent, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE15 6PY.
5. NEW CM2025 Great Book Draw
Wanted: Recently Published Books
Are you the author of a recently published (or about to be published) book that addresses any aspect of AAC, either fiction or non-fiction? Would you like to have an image and description of your book included in the CM2025 Conference Programme?
Why not donate a copy to the CM2025 Great Book Draw? Approximately 450 delegates will have the opportunity to sign up for the Great Book Draw which will be held during the International AAC Conference at the University of Leeds on 8-9 September.
We are open to all books about AAC but this year we would particularly welcome books regarding neurodiversity, adults using AAC, and/or empowerment.
If you are interested, please email [email protected] by 1st July.
6. Call for Nominations for Trustees
The time has come again to request nominations for Trustees for the next term in the life of Communication Matters. This is a role which demands stamina, commitment and skill mixing but which can be very stimulating and enlightening!
This year there are five vacant places to be filled and the opportunity of appointing a further three Co-opted Trustees as appropriate. The announcement of Trustees will take place at the virtual Annual Meeting of Associate Members on Sunday 7 September 2025 ahead of the Communication Matters International AAC Conference.
For more information and to download a nomination form, please go to: communicationmatters.org.uk/news/call-for-trustees-2025
Completed nomination forms must reach us by Friday 18th July.
7. CM Peer Support & Mentoring Project – Development Opportunities
Are you interested in being involved and helping to develop this project? We are looking for 2 – 3 AAC users who have a range of skills and interests to help develop our resources and engage in project development and delivery.
We have a limited number of hours available and activities may include helping to make our resources accessible, developing topics for workshops and/or possibly co-presenting.
If you are an AAC user and feel you have particular skills, please let us know more along with your area of interest. Send a CV and a one-page A4 document or email (no more than 600 words) to [email protected].
You can find out more about the project here.
Communication Matters will review all applications. For those AAC users that are not successful, it is likely that we will keep your details for future reference. Please note that payment is provided on a self-employed basis.
The closing date is Friday 27th June at 12 noon.
For more information, please email: Verity Elliott – [email protected].
8. CM2025 International AAC Conference – Register Now – 3 Weeks To Early Bird Deadline
Registration is now open, but we wanted to highlight some exciting changes and additions taking place this year.
One notable change is the conference being shortened to two days. We will open the main conference on Monday 8th September at 9AM and close at 4PM Tuesday the 9th. While this means a slightly shorter conference than previous years, we have worked hard to consolidate the programme to offer better value with events on either side. These include:
- Pre-Conference Relaxed Exhibition: on the afternoon of 7th September, we will be providing a time for conference delegates and the community who need a quieter and less busy space to meet with suppliers. This is a free optional event for those who wish to add it to their delegate package. Tickets will also be available to people not attending conference.
- AAC Awards: on the evening of 8th September, we will be hosting our biennial event celebrating all forms of communication, the people who use AAC, the professionals, families and suppliers that support them. Being held at the Royal Armouries in Leeds, we are certain the awards, dinner and dancing will prove to be a fun and exciting night for all! This event is included in the full delegate registration price. It can be added to one-day and exhibition-only delegates at an additional price. Tickets will also be available to people not attending conference.
- Post-Conference Research Study Day: this additional day on 10th September is open to conference delegates and others who are interested in research focused strands delivered by an international cohort of researchers and academics. This event can be added to all delegate packages at an additional price. Tickets will also be available to people not attending conference.
Changes to accommodation
In another effort to offer choice and value, there are now options available for conference delegates to choose accommodation. When going through the registration process you can add on-campus accommodation at Storm Jameson, which will be added to the full conference delegate rate. You can also choose to opt-out and stay elsewhere. We have teamed up with Conference Leeds to offer delegates preferential rates at hotels within Leeds for your convenience.
Registration is now open!
Book early to take advantage of the Early Bird discount which expires on 11th July.
See prices and book online here.
9. We Need Your Help to Win a Donation in the My Favourite Voucher Codes Poll!
This June, you can help Communication Matters to receive a donation without spending a penny – all you need to do is cast your free vote in the My Favourite Voucher Codes charity poll!
Every month, My Favourite Voucher Codes donate 20% of their profits to charity. They run a monthly poll where 4 charities are in with the chance of winning the donation.
This month, Communication Matters have been chosen as a nominated charity, and we need your help to win!
It is free to vote in, everyone gets 1 vote (per IP address) and you do not need to enter any details at all to vote.
The poll will remain open until midnight on 30th June.
How Do I Vote?
Voting is super simple; all you need to do is:
- Visit the My Favourite Voucher Codes website.
- Scroll down until you see the poll on the right-hand side of the page (or at the bottom of the page on mobile).
- Vote for Communication Matters!
Thank you to all our amazing supporters and everyone who is able to vote for Communication Matters this June. If we win this donation, we can continue supporting those who have verbal communication difficulties and give everyone a voice.
10. About Friday Announcements
These ‘Friday Announcements’ comprise weekly product updates, upcoming courses, and supplier news. Please email [email protected] with the item you want to be included by Thursday at 5pm – no more than 200 words (one entry per organisation per week) – and include contact email and/or link so readers can find out further information (no file attachments please).
