A NEW exhibition in County Durham is addressing the difficulties some people have with language and communication.

Making Sense of the Puzzle features the work of textile designer Abigail Beverly who has had her own difficulties with words.

“Having a speech and language disorder has affected many aspects of my life and meant that I have to find different ways to convey my thoughts, feelings and ideas to others,” she says.

“Problems with words have changed how I look at the world and make sense of it.

“I have used my artwork to explore my feelings and help others to understand what it’s like to have a speech and language disability.”

Abigail, who lives in London, graduated in textile design from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, gaining a distinction for her thesis How We Understand Words.

Her exhibition is at the Lamplight Arts Centre, Stanley, to mark the current Year of Communication and is part of the Hello campaign.

This was launched to press for improvements in the help available to the young people – estimated at more than one million – with long- term speech, language and communication needs.

Speech and language therapists who work with young people in County Durham have been working to raise the profile of their work in this area.

Making Sense of the Puzzle runs until July 22. For more about the Hello campaign visit www.hello.org.uk

Anyone worried about their child’s speech and language development will find information on www.talkingpoint.org.uk