About F Parkes Associates

F Parkes Associates was formed in 2002 to enable people to have voice training as part of their personal and professional development. Voice and speech training allows us to develop our ability to use our voice and speech to its best level.

All Associates are well prepared and highly qualified. We are an independent company that responds to peoples' needs. Each Associate has a particular area of speciality.

All the Associates, with the exceptions of Helen Sewell, who has a background of journalism, and Julie McLean who is a Speech Therapist, are professionally trained actors. Part of our work is with drama students and professional actors whether it's for dialect coaching, voice-over technique or voice with movement. We've noticed an increase in requests from universities and schools to give training to lecturers and teachers as part of their professional development. Speech and voice is important at interviews to allow you to get your points and questions across. If we're nervous our voice and speech can be affected and impede our communication, so we give training with helpful tips and checklists to allow you to say what you want without having to think about how you sound. Voice and Presentation training is an integral part of our work. In particular we're asked to train consultants for making proposals to potential clients.

Elocution is often asked for. There are differences in perception of the word elocution. Up until twenty years ago elocution training was given to actors or to people who wished to higher their "class" and/or their work status. Fortunately times have changed along with that particular Standard English accent. We now coach actors in this accent when they have to play the part of a character who is from that period and class. Nowadays, PAs, MDs, CEOs, politicians and the titled are no longer judged by their accent but by their abilities.

This brings us to the present day and the real meaning of elocution which is: "complete fusion of thought or feeling with verbal expression". This is behind all our voice and speech training. The "Speak English Clearly" course enables people who have found difficulty in being heard and understood, to express their thoughts and feelings with clarity.

The "Speak English Clearly" course has been developed over five years and we have trained countless people who have gone on to speak English with a clarity that they never had before. Frances started the research for the three CD "Speak English Clearly" box set in 2003. So many people had asked us for an audio product that was user friendly, easily absorbed and easy to follow and practice.

Recording started at the end of 2004. After every recording session, the results were sent to clients for feedback. It took two years to complete.

The "Speak English Clearly" box set is on sale in shops throughout the UK. You can also purchase the box set over our website and you can now download groups of tracks with the corresponding pages of the booklet. Since it went on sale at the end of last year we've had purchasers from overseas visiting London to attend our open "Speak English Clearly" courses. It's such a great pleasure to meet with and train people from all parts of the world. Our groups are small to maximise the effectiveness of the training. Each Associate who takes the "Speak English Clearly" course has been trained by Frances in the programme.

This is only one aspect of our work. We have diverse requests and with our different areas of expertise, are able to match the trainer to the client/s.