Autumn 2025

The CEO’s Voice

Welcome to our autumn Dyslexia Voice edition – all about busting dyslexia myths. This quarter’s magazine is full of members’ experiences of dyslexia myths, as well as many inspiring examples of how to challenge them.

This is also the theme of Dyslexia Awareness Week this year – please find your blue ribbon attached on the front cover to wear from 29 September until 5 October!

Several of our contributors talk about the myths they have faced personally, including what Ross Linnett calls “the myth that dyslexia has to limit people”, reinforced by Suzy Taylor who was frequently told “You can’t do that if you’re dyslexic”. It is encouraging to see in the insights and experiences shared elsewhere in the magazine that there are many examples in Scotland and beyond where everyone can and do thrive in their own way.

Tracy Clark’s article about ‘Finding balance’ in her career as a psychotherapist explains this well. TV Chef Tony Singh shares his experiences with our guest interviewer Ross Duncan about being curious and unafraid about “finding joy in learning even when things are tough”, an attitude that has stood him in excellent stead in his career.

Inspiring articles by our younger members, teachers and the Changemakers channel demonstrate that, with the right support, dyslexia definitely does not limit the ambition and determination to achieve. It’s lovely to see the motion in Parliament lodged by MSP Oliver Mundell to congratulate 3 pupils from Trinity primary school in Edinburgh on their recent impressive presentation about their involvement in the Sean Connery Foundation Dyslexia Initiative. Read all about the motion on page 8 and hear what the 3 young people thought about their day in parliament with Ambassador ‘Super Paul’ in the children’s and young people’s section.

The latest highlights of the work of the Dyslexia Scotland Board, staff and volunteers include:

• We are sorry to see two dedicated and long-serving Directors step down from the Board. Mike Gibson has now resigned as Education advisor, after being involved since 2012 and Andy Laverty has resigned as Finance Director after serving since 2016. Both have always been positive, reliable, loyal and constructive Directors, working in the best interests of Dyslexia Scotland and the dyslexia community. We will miss them both greatly and wish them well in the future. We are delighted to welcome new Directors Mary Berrill, Jennie Guise and Barry Macintyre to the Board. More details to come at the AGM.
• Our GTCS-accredited Dyslexia and Inclusive Practice programme: 49 teachers will join the year-long programme in September
• Launch of our Fundraising pack to encourage anyone keen to raise funds for Dyslexia Scotland.
• The 3-year Sean Connery Foundation Dyslexia Initiative in the City of Edinburgh Council has now completed. Read the final report at this link: dyslexiascotland.org.uk/impacts. Two learning modules to share the programme’s learning with educators across Scotland are currently under development.

Very many thanks go to all our contributors for your articles, poems, photos and stories.