COUTTS CELEBRATES GOLDEN JUBILEE WITH SUPPORT PROJECT FOR 50 CHILDREN
31st May 2002

Coutts & Co, the UK's leading private bank, has today unveiled its plans to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen's Golden Jubilee through the sponsorship of a project to support 50 young people with the charity I CAN.

I CAN, one of only five charities nominated on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee, is the national educational charity for children with speech and language difficulties. This unique Coutts sponsorship will create opportunities for 50 children with severe speech and language difficulties to improve their communication and life skills, and includes a school summer holiday project at one of I CAN's special schools.

The school holiday project, at Dawn House School in Nottingham, has been specially designed for young people between the ages of 11 - 16 years with severe speech, language and communication difficulties. The young people will participate in a range of activities designed to encourage social interaction, personal development and communication. The aim of the project is to help build confidence to help them grow into independent young people.

Commenting on the sponsorship, The Earl of Home, Chairman of Coutts & Co, said, "Having seen first hand the great work of I CAN, I am delighted that Coutts is supporting such an excellent project. We felt it was particularly important to celebrate Her Majesty's Golden Jubilee in a way which would help one of the chosen Jubilee charities."
Gill Edelman, Chief Executive of I CAN, added, "We are thrilled that Coutts is supporting I CAN in this Golden Jubilee year."

"Silence isn't golden for one million children in the UK – in fact many are trapped in an isolated and lonely world where they can't communicate, no matter how hard they try. Coutts is providing 50 children with a golden opportunity, to gain the skills to live an independent life in the future."

"This type of support enables us to reach more children than ever before and to extend the type of help and support we can provide to them, their parents, families and the professionals who work with them."



About I CAN

I CAN is the national educational charity for children with speech and language difficulties.

I CAN helps these children through its pioneering nationwide work in its own special schools, nurseries and centres within local schools, and by providing training and information for parents, teachers and therapists.

It is estimated that one million children in the UK – or one in ten – have speech and language difficulties.

The charity is delighted to have been nominated on the occasion of the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002.

I CAN already benefits from having the Queen as its Patron, but this additional recognition will greatly help the charity to raise awareness of children's speech and language difficulties and I CAN's work with them.



For further information, please contact:

Julie Cooper, Head of Public Relations, Coutts Group, on 020 7753 1774 or 07970 001038.

Telephone calls with Coutts Group companies may be monitored or recorded in order to maintain and improve our service.

Issued on behalf of the Coutts Group by Coutts & Co, which is regulated by the FSA.

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