DO you remember that sketch where Ronnie Barker comes into my hardware shop?

He asks me for a whole list of things and I get more and more frustrated because what he asks for sounds like one thing, but he means another.

It's very funny for a few minutes, but imagine if your whole life was like that. It would be a nightmare

For the quarter of a million people in the UK who have aphasia, going shopping is no joke. Brain injury from a stroke or accident leaves them struggling with words. As shop staff get impatient -- assuming they are drunk or just "stupid" -- they get flustered, and anger and disappointment well up once again.

Aphasia doesn't stop with shopping. It affects your whole life. From not being able to say the names of your loved ones, to mixing up the words for "yes" and "no", TV, radio, newspapers, phone calls from friends. Far from being relaxing, they can be serious sources of stress.

If more people understood aphasia and did a few simple things, like speaking a little more slowly and giving the person longer to reply, everyday life for people with aphasia wouldn't be like a bad dream.

This week, Speakability, the national charity for people with aphasia, is making a push to help us all "see the person and understand aphasia". As the Vice President of Speakability, I'd like to encourage you to call Speakability to find out more about how you can help someone with aphasia or to make a donation. Call Speakability on Freephone 080 8808 9572. Many thanks for your help.

Ronnie Corbett

Vice-President of Speakability

Royal Street, London