We surveyed the membership of aphasia self-help groups in England. We wanted to know what kinds of people become members and the factors associated with taking an active role. So we aimed to describe the membership in terms of age, aphasia severity, physical state, socio-economic status and group roles. We collected data on 135 members and found them relatively less severe but mainly chronically aphasic, living in their own homes and close to the group meeting place, using their own or public transport, with little community or state aid. While hemiplegia was common, few were wheelchair bound. Those taking active roles were younger and less severely aphasic and from more professional and managerial socio-economic groups.