MALVERN couple Alyson and Paul Hawes were invited to a garden party at Buckingham Palace yesterday (Thursday), in recognition of their work to help disabled people.

Mr and Mrs Hawes, of Abbey Road, run a company called Sensory Software, producing computer programmes for people with speech, sight and learning problems.

They had both worked in a similar field for 20 years before setting up their own company four years ago, believing they could improve on what was available.

They aim to create the best range of assisted software at fair prices in the fields of communication, computer access and learning support.

Their programmes are used all over Europe and in America, Australia, Taiwan and Russia by people who have never been able to speak or have lost their speech through accident or illness.

The software enables them to communicate through their computers or touch-screen portables, using words or symbols that are translated into speech.

"We have concentrated primarily on people who can't speak but we also do some for dyslexic people and those with learning difficulties," said Mrs Hawes.

"There are six well-used programmes that can be used in a range of off-the-shelf computers, all written by Paul.

"They are written in such a way that they can be adapted for the person who is going to use it and their particular disability."

Mr and Mrs Hawes were able to take two guests to yesterday's royal garden party and were not sure which of their three children, Jose aged 22, Barney, 21, and Dougall, 18, would go.