September Newsletter

Dear member,

Welcome to the September edition of our quarterly Newsletter. We will bring you the latest updates, upcoming events, and achievements from across our Charity.

Support services and volunteering

Support Group summer activities

The Support Groups have been busy this summer with a variety of different activities taking place, including a family fun day at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens, a trip to the farm, and a summer party at the Mallusk Academy Hub.

Summer Holidays for MAP & GAP Participants

Our Mental Health & Autism Project (MAP) and the Girls & Autism Project (GAP) spent some of their nine-week holiday creating new experiences.

MAP participants enjoyed a four week equine course where they had an introduction to horses and explored caring for them; along with handling, feeding and grooming.

GAP participants took part in a 3 week art programme with the theme ‘a door to our world’. They expressed their thoughts and feelings on individual journeys and enhanced communication through creative expression and imagination.

Cheers to 20 years volunteering!

This September we are celebrating Anne Hayward’s 20 years of incredible volunteering with Autism NI. Her energy and lively personality has been at the heart and soul of many meetings, summer schemes, family events and training opportunities. Anne received commendation for her ‘outstanding community contribution’ at the Mayor’s Community Awards in 2020 for her service to Autism NI’s Lisburn Support Group, and we want to thank Anne and all our volunteers for the amazing support they provide to autistic people and their families.

If you’d like to get involved and help make a difference visit, www.autismni.org/volunteer

Campaigning

#AutisticMindsMatter

With 35,000 autistic people living in Northern Ireland, Autism NI believes that there must be immediate action taken to introduce a specialist autism mental health service. Autism NI is holding an event on Monday 25th September 2023 in Stormont to highlight the issues in the current system and ask for action to be taken.

To find out more information about our campaigning, please visit https://www.autismni.org/join-our-lobby

Training

Autism NI Impact Award training goes global!

Our training team delivers our Impact Award for Education to nurseries and schools, including primary and secondary education. Most recently we delivered training to ‘KidsFirst’ in Singapore, a team of Special Educators, Occupational Therapists and Speech and Language Therapists who provide an Early Intervention Programme for children aged 2-12 years.

Through our partnership they are showcasing best practice and mirroring the work we do here, on the other side of the world. Our team will work with KidsFirst over the next 3-6 months to help implement reasonable adjustments in their setting. This is a very exciting and the start of Autism NI becoming international training providers.

Fundraising Events

Get your ‘glow on’ this November!

Our annual Glow Walk is back on Saturday 4th November and we’re ready to glow brighter this year. This exciting event encourages families to dress in their brightest gear to ‘light up the night’ and includes a night walk up the iconic Prince of Wales Avenue, and a fun dance warm-up by Fitness Freddy.

Registration: FREE   Sponsorship: £75 per family

Take on our ‘Ho Ho Hike’ this December!

Explore the beautiful Mourne Mountain range in our epic trek challenge this festive season. This challenge will see participants trek up the amazing Slieve Binnian which stands at 747m above sea level, and help raise vital funds for local autism services. All supporters taking part in the trek will also receive a hot drink and mince pie!

Registration: £25   Sponsorship: £100

Fundraising at work

Support our autism services by fundraising at work

Can you connect Autism NI with organisations who would be interested in making Autism NI their charity of the year? A long term partnership can make a massive difference and can help us continue to deliver our services to the autistic community.

For more information visit, www.autismni.org/fundraising-at-work

Support Autism NI

Thousands of people rely on our services and almost 90% of our income fund our vital services in Northern Ireland. Help us to support them and together we can make a big difference.