About Lemonade from Lemons
Lemonade from Lemons is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company (CIC) based in East Sussex. Our mission? Unsmallening the world for adults living with communication difficulties after brain injury one conversation at a time.
Why Conversations Matter
Conversations are a huge part of who we are—they affect how we feel about ourselves and how we connect with others. But for people with communication differences caused by brain injury like strokes, traumatic brain injury, or neurological conditions, conversations can become difficult and uncomfortable.
The problem is, society doesn’t understand the rules of conversation, or how communication differences can break those rules, making conversations feel tricky.
Instead of seeing a communication difference as something we all need to adjust to, we treat it like a medical issue that needs to be “fixed” by professionals. At Lemonade from Lemons, we think it’s time for a new approach.
Since conversations involve two people, we believe it’s everyone’s job to make all our conversations inclusive.
Who We Are
Firle and Ben first met in 1983 as kids in south London, where they both grew up. Legend has it Ben tried to steal Firle’s trike at nursery, though Ben denies it to this day! Years later, they reconnected after Ben’s stroke when Firle, now a speech and language therapist, was working with people with similar communication difficulties.
Together with Nikki, they worked on a project at University College London (UCL) blending creativity, communication partner training, and lived experience. This project planted the seed that became Lemonade from Lemons.
Our Team
Dr. Firle Beckley – “The Speech and Language Therapist”
Firle is a highly experienced speech and language therapist who has spent over 20 years working with adults with communication differences. Her career began in research on the pioneering Better Conversations with Aphasia research project evaluating a new approach to communication partner training, lead by Dr Suzanne Beeke, which also has a free online tool used worldwide. She completed her PhD on communication partner training in 2024 and has worked across the NHS, universities, and independent settings.
She co-founded Lemonade from Lemons to bring her passion for improving conversations into real-world settings.
Firle also runs her own independent therapy practice—check it out at firlebtherapies.co.uk.
Nikki Hafter – “The Artist”
Nikki is an artist and facilitator with a master’s degree in Inclusive Arts Practice. She specialises in using creative arts to support communication and has led many projects with people facing communication challenges. Over the years, Nikki has worked with organizations like the University of Brighton, De La Warr Pavilion, and Battersea Arts Centre.
At Lemonade from Lemons, Nikki brings creativity to everything we do, making our training fun, engaging, and meaningful.
Learn more about Nikki’s work at nikkihafter.com.
Ben Goldstein – “The Lived Experience”
Ben has a psychology degree and worked as a video editor in London before a stroke in 2013 left him with a communication difference. Since then, he’s dedicated his time to volunteering and using his lived experience to improve speech and language therapy. He’s worked on research projects with universities like UCL and City St. George’s.
At Lemonade from Lemons, Ben ensures everything we do makes a real impact. His no-nonsense feedback keeps us focused on what really matters: helping people.
Kate Whiteman – “The Designer”
Kate is a graphic designer and illustrator based in Eastbourne, with years of experience working for national charities and galleries. She’s passionate about how design can support communication and create better experiences for everyone. Kate’s creative style is a perfect match for our work at Lemonade from Lemons.
Learn more about Kate at katy-whiteman.squarespace.com.
Interested in making conversations more inclusive?
We’d love to work with you!
Our Vision:
A world where differences in people’s communication are seamlessly accepted and stylishly accommodated and no-one is socially isolated by conversational barriers.