GARETH Gates has held the first of his "stammer schools" in Bradford to help young people overcome the affliction that he has lived with his whole life.

The chart topping Bradford born singer and stage star returned to his old school, Dixons City Academy, over the weekend to run sessions for young people with stammers and their families. Along with a group of speech therapists and other people who had worked to overcome their stammers, he taught the young people the techniques he has used through his life to deal with the condition, and gave their families advice on how best to support their children.

He told the Telegraph & Argus that he hoped the children would be given the confidence they need to realise their condition does not have to stand in the way of their future plans.

Gareth was thrust into the spotlight as a teenager when he appeared on Pop Idol. In his first appearance on the show he struggled to say his name due to his stammer, and ever since he has spoken openly about the condition.

His first Stammer School session involved children aged between seven and 12 and their families, and involved a number of workshops and advice sessions. At the start of the weekend he told the young people: "When I was your age I felt like I was the only person going through this. I wished there were other people I could have shared my experiences with. That's why I wanted to create a group where children who all stammer can come together, share their experiences and realise they are not alone."

Gareth has worked for years with the McGuire Programme, which helps people with stammers, and has become a qualified speech coach.

He told the T&A it was good to be back at Dixons City, adding: "I've performed on this stage a few times before. This is where I learned my trade. The school has an incredible music department. I come back here as often as I can.

"When we were putting this together it made perfect sense to do the first Gareth Gates Stammer School in my home town. The school is the perfect place for it. The main thing for us was to keep it light and fun for the young people.

"We've got a good mix of people who are living with stammers day to day as well as speech therapists who have learned the best methods to help people with the condition.

"I'm looking forward to seeing the results. This is our first ever one and I'm sure we'll find things we can improve, but I'm very confident that these kids will go away feeling much better about themselves and more confident.

"There is no cure, it is something you just have to deal with. I have been on the McGuire Programme, so have a lot of the other people here, and it really works. It really changes who you are as a person.

"I'm doing a lot of acting now - I used to never think I would be able to handle a script. As a boy I was offered the role of Oliver and had to turn it down because I didn't have the confidence to speak. We want to be able to give these young people that confidence."