The Loop: Autumn Edition

DOUBLE OFSTED SUCCESS FOR SCHOOLS

MEET OUR AUTISM ACTIVISTS

SPOTLIGHT FALLS ON HEALTH IN OUR EVERYDAY EQUALITY CAMPAIGN

Notes from our CEO

This is because we got a record number of referrals in the summer, and it’s a testament to our education teams who do a fantastic job and the quality of education that they provide.

And of course, our brilliant kids! You only have to look at some of the things they did at the end of term to appreciate how great they are.

It’s not just me saying that. Two of our schools were inspected by Ofsted just before the summer holidays (see pages 6-7) and both came out good across the board and outstanding in behaviour and attitudes.

The Ofsted inspectors gave our pupils special mention, describing them as “kind, respectful and considerate”, along with the staff that support them so well.

For me, that’s special. Congratulations to everyone across our schools. Not just our schools, though, to all the teams at NEAS that go the extra mile.

We’ve been doing some improvement work at Mackenzie Thorpe Centre school in South Bank,

John Phillipson Chief Executive Officer

to prepare for the extra pupils, and one of the decorators is Zinnia Young.

Zinnia won an apprentice of the year award in Durham recently (see page 16) and she’s a prime example of someone who goes that extra mile to improve our homes and schools.

Likewise our care teams who enable people to achieve things they perhaps thought they never would – like completing the Three Peaks challenge, tackling assault courses or enjoying a rock-pooling holiday on the Northumberland coast.

So a big thank you to everyone who has been part of a support team like that, and congratulations to the people who have achieved so much.

We will continue to work tirelessly on their behalf, as well as lobby for better access to services for all autistic and neurodivergent people across the board. You can read about our latest campaign on access to healthcare on pages 8-11.

John Phillipson

We’re heading into the new academic year with more children in our schools than we’ve ever had before.

Dad’s fundraising challenge inspired by autistic son

Climbing England’s highest mountain would sound difficult enough to most people, but dad Stephen Sinclair decided to tackle it with a 40kg tumble dryer strapped to his back…

Save the dates

From our parents and carers conference to our Christmas events, we’ve put together a list of dates you won’t want to miss.

Double Ofsted joy

As we begin a new academic year, we’re celebrating the success of two of our schools which were rated good with outstanding behaviour and attitudes after Ofsted inspections in June.

Our Everyday Equality: Health campaign

From waiting lists to mental health, school avoidance to hospitals, we’ve been hearing what neurodivergent people would like medical professionals to know.

Waiting lists put family under strain

Three members of a family from Gateshead are on the waiting list for an autism diagnosis and say the delays are putting them under enormous stress.

Happy birthday Employment Futures!

On its seventh birthday, we take a trip down memory lane to celebrate everything that our employment service has achieved.

Spotlight on… Autism Activists

Find out what our Autism Activists have been working on over the summer holidays.

Employee of the quarter

Discover who has been crowned our latest Employee of the quarter.

Highlights of the quarter

From impressive fundraising challenges to summer fetes and more, it’s been a very busy summer for NEAS.

Dad hauls tumble dryer up mountain as he prepares for Great North Run in aid of NEAS

INTREPID North-East dad Stephen Sinclair has climbed England’s highest mountain with a tumble dryer strapped to his back – as part of his training for the Great North Run.

Stephen, 35, is aiming to raise vital funds for the North East Autism Society by tackling the world’s most famous halfmarathon while burdened with the 40kg tumble dryer.

And his gruelling training schedule reached its peak this week when he lumped the heavy machine up the 978-metre Scafell Pike, in the Lake District.

“It wasn’t easy, but I made it to the top, and now I’m definitely ready for the Great North Run, in support of a fantastic charity,” said Stephen, who lives in Ashington.

Stephen is a keen adventurer who has already conquered some of the world’s toughest peaks, including Machu Picchu and Kilimanjaro, as well as reaching the base camp of Mount Everest, and summiting the famous Island Peak, in March.

The North East Autism Society is a charity close to his heart because he has a four-year-old autistic son, Frankie, who he describes as his inspiration.

“Frankie’s named after my Grandad, who passed away in 2016. We were very close, and he was my hero,” explained Stephen.

“I have a tattoo paying tribute to my Grandad on my leg, and I give it a little tap whenever I’m doing a tough challenge. It reminds me of what a special man he was, and I want to do him and little Frankie proud.”

Stephen, who works in the oil and gas industry, completed the Great North Run barefoot last year, raising £1,500 for NEAS. He also raised another £500 at a boxing event. This year, he wanted to do something different and got the idea for his latest fundraising effort when he spotted an old tumble dryer in his shed.

“We were about to throw it out, but it kept staring at me, so I decided to make good use of it.”

Stephen cut the straps off an old hiking bag, attached them to the tumble dryer, and went into training.

As well as climbing Scafell Pike with the tumble dryer, he has also just run 100 miles in 10 days without it. However, he’ll now get back to running with the tumble dryer in the build-up to the Great North Run on 10th September

His original target was £2,000 but that was increased to £3,000 when the fundraising platform, Give Star, donated £500. Whatever he raises will be split between NEAS and Frankie’s school – Castle School, in Ashington.

Stephen intends to cross the Great North Run finishing line with his little boy in his arms.

NEAS Chief Executive John Phillipson said:

“We are in awe of Stephen, and we can’t thank him enough for the incredible lengths he goes to in supporting what we do.”

Click here to view our upcoming fundraising events

Save the Dates

Autumn is shaping up to be a busy season here at the North East Autism Society. Here’s a roundup of the exciting events taking place and the information you need on how to join Team NEAS:

New Warlands Farm

Christmas Fete

Saturday 25th November 10am - 3pm

Edmondsley, County Durham, DH7 6EX

We’re excited to announce that we’ve got some exciting things lined up for this year’s Christmas Market. Our adults have been working hard to create some amazing products – including Christmas cards, Christmas eve boxes and sweet treats that would make perfect stocking fillers.

New for this year, we’ll also have a relaxed Santa’s grotto experience – and the big man himself is even scheduled to make an appearance. It’s set to be a very special event!

Thursday 7th December

Back – like Santa – by popular demand it’s our annual Jolly Jumper Day. To take part you simply need to don your Christmas-themed garment and make a small donation to us when you do.

Host Your Own Event!

The choice is yours!

Looking to create your own event? In the past we’ve had people host a range of fundraising events including bake sales, raffles, trivia nights - we’ve even had some brave folks shave their heads… and one supporter who’s running 10km every day for a whole year!

Our fundraising team are on hand to support you to host your own event and can help you every step of the way.

Email fundraising@ne-as.org.uk with your ideas.

Friday 1st December

On your marks, get set… bake! Join us for our annual Great Christmas Bake Off.

Find out more about our events: ne-as.org.uk/events

Double Ofsted success for schools

Two of our specialist schools enjoyed extra special end-of-term celebrations after receiving glowing reports from Ofsted inspectors.

Aycliffe School in Country Durham and Thornhill Park School in Sunderland were both rated good with outstanding behaviour and attitudes after Ofsted inspections in June.

The two schools teach pupils aged four to 19 who are all autistic and/or neurodivergent. Some children were out of education for years before joining the schools.

The Ofsted report for Aycliffe School, which has 53 pupils, said:

“There is a calm, caring atmosphere in this nurturing school.

“Pupils are closely supervised and supported well by highly skilled staff. Behaviour is excellent. There are very high expectations.”

Aycliffe Principal Kirsty Carr said she was very proud of staff and pupils.

“It was a really strong Ofsted report that reflects the quality of what we do,” she said.

“We have a very strong staff team and everyone works hard with the pupils – staff should be really proud.”

Specialist schools are inspected on the same framework as mainstream schools, and their curriculum has to be just as broad and balanced.

At the same time, the pupils have a wide range of academic, developmental and emotional needs, and Ofsted said the two NEAS schools skilfully adapted the curriculum and the specialised support to meet them. Kirsty said:

“We have seen a 100% increase in the rate of pupils achieving qualifications and we continue to be ambitious. Pupils are really proud of their achievements.”

At Thornhill Park School in Sunderland, Ofsted inspectors described the 47 pupils as “kind, respectful and considerate” and their behaviour as “exemplary across the school”.

The report also praised the way leaders and teachers helped pupils prepare for adulthood. “Leaders are determined that all pupils will be given every opportunity to succeed in life,” it said.

Nadine Horton, Principal at Thornhill Park, said she was “immensely proud” of the report and thrilled for staff and pupils.

“The praise for the pupils was one of the things I’m most proud of. They are wonderful and the inspectors said they represented the school really positively,” she said.

“We also had an extremely positive response from parents who said some wonderful things about the school.”

The schools held picnics, summer show, a prom and certificate giving assemblies to celebrate the reports with parents and pupils.

“It was a wonderful way to end the year,” Nadine said.

Our Ofsted reports

Aycliffe School

“From the moment pupils arrive at school in the morning, staff warmly welcome them. Well-established routines help pupils to feel safe. Careful thought has been given to the learning environment.

“Staff support pupils to understand and manage their emotions and behaviour exceptionally well. Relationships between staff and pupils are very positive. Staff listen to pupils. They help them to overcome barriers to learning.

“The curriculum is broad and ambitious. It is divided into different pathways with the aim of equipping pupils to fulfil their potential in life. Staff have good knowledge of the subjects they teach. They use creative approaches to help pupils to engage in lessons and to understand.

“Pupils often join the school after negative experiences in their previous schools. Some have missed long periods of education. Staff work hard to engage pupils in learning and meet their needs.

“Pupils develop strong, trusting relationships with staff. They develop very positive attitudes towards school. Over time, their attendance improves significantly.”

Thornhill Park School

“Staff have detailed knowledge of pupils’ needs. This, combined with an engaging curriculum that teaches pupils to self-regulate their emotions, results in exemplary behaviour across the school.

“There is a warm, welcoming atmosphere across both sites. Pupils know what bullying is but are adamant that it is not something that happens at school. One pupil commented, ‘Bullying does not even get a chance to take root here, because staff do not tolerate it.’

“Pupils are happy and enjoy coming to school. They have positive relationships with staff, and teachers make learning fun.

“Highly effective support from adults is enhanced by a learning environment that is supportive of pupils’ sensory needs. Pupils receive a bespoke curriculum and personalised emotional support.

“Leaders are determined that all pupils will be given every opportunity to succeed in life. They continue to develop work placements, further education and training opportunities to meet individual needs.

Join our winning team

Aycliffe and Thornhill Park are currently recruiting for Level 2 and Level 4 Teaching Assistants, with vacancies also available at sister schools Mackenzie Thorpe Centre in Middlesbrough and Kiora Hall in Stockton. Experience working with autistic pupils is not essential, as full training is provided.

For more information and to apply, go to www.ne-as.org.uk/careers

Spotlight falls on health in our Everyday Equality campaign

Autistic people and their families have highlighted the barriers to accessing healthcare as part of our year-long Everyday Equality campaign.

From waiting lists to mental health, school avoidance to hospitals, we’ve been hearing what neurodivergent people would like medical professionals to know.

It’s an important issue: autistic people have poorer physical and mental health compared to the general population and a lower life expectancy.

That’s why it’s vital to improve their access to healthcare and ensure that it is tailored to their needs.

It’s the second phase of our campaign, which launched during Autism Acceptance month in April with a focus on education.

Our health campaign stories, which can be seen on our website, have made the front page of the Northern Echo and were covered by BBC’s Look North.

Waiting lists

We found that the number of children and adults on waiting lists for autism assessments in the North East more than doubled in 18 months. There are almost 17,000 people on the lists, and some have been told it will take up to five years to be seen.

Our CEO John Phillipson said:

“I am very concerned that the system appears to be in a state of collapse.”

GPs’ surgeries

Eight in 10 autistic adults find it difficult to visit a GP because of issues around using the telephone, sensory overload in the surgery, and being able to explain their symptoms. A survey by Healthwatch in Newcastle found that almost half were unaware they could ask for reasonable adjustments.

Jay, the young autistic man behind our Everyday Equality campaign, described the 10 barriers that he feels stands in the way between him and effective healthcare.

Hospitals

We looked at what hospitals around the region are doing to cater for autistic patients, and spoke to Ashleigh Harrison – a paediatric nurse at the QE in Gateshead, and mum of an autistic son – about her idea for a care passport. Another parent explained how The James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough has helped her sixyear-old daughter get through six operations there.

We also found out what Sunderland University is doing to encourage its student medics to think differently about lived experience.

Look past the label

Diagnostic

get missed because the symptoms are confused with the diagnosis of autism. We spoke to a mum who fought for years to get an operation for her four-year-old son, and Ellen Clarke, a music teacher who was finally diagnosed as autistic at 56 after decades of anxiety, depression and breakdown. We also put together an A-Z of co-occurring conditions.

Mental health

After heart disease, suicide is the main cause of early death in autistic adults. Graham, an autistic man in his 30s, shared the story of his mental health struggles to let others know that they are not alone and that things will get better.

We talked to leading blogger @ItsEmilyKaty about her experiences of being sectioned at 16, illustrator Eliza Fricker about the impact her daughter’s emotionallybased school avoidance had on the family, and parents who are struggling to get mental health support for their autistic children.

We also focused on the story of Myles and Derek, who between them spent over 40 years in mental health hospitals before being supported by NEAS to move into their own home in Sunderland.

We’ll be covering finance next month, transport in the new year, and employment next spring. If you have a viewpoint or an experience you want to share, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us by email at marketing@ne-as.org.uk or via WhatsApp on 07443 824903.

overshadowing is when other conditions

Here are some of the stories we’ve reported:

Waiting lists put family under strain

The number of children and adults on waiting lists for autism assessments in the North East has more than doubled in the past 18 months, a NEAS investigation found.

Some have been told it will take up to five years for them to get an assessment.

One Gateshead family we met have three members on the waiting list and say the delays are putting them under enormous stress. Their story was covered by BBC Look North and you can see their interview here.

Dad Paul was referred for autism assessment in May 2022, while his five-year-old daughter Emily was referred in October. Mum Rebecca has just been referred.

Only their son Nathan, six, has got a diagnosis, three years after initially being referred.

“The process of realising, getting a referral, battling to get support in the meantime, as well as the extra stress of being undiagnosed and facing scepticism, has been exhausting. Never mind the day-to-day difficulties autism brings,” Rebecca says.

Guidance from NICE, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, states that nobody should wait for more than 13 weeks between being referred and first being seen.

Yet the vast majority of people in the North East – up to 98% in some areas – are waiting longer than that, according to figures from NHS England.

Rebecca expects Emily to be waiting for up to two years to be seen.

“She’ll mask all day and when she comes home, she has meltdowns and will scream and cry.

“It’s soul-destroying to watch your child lying on the floor kicking and screaming because they don’t understand why something is the way it is.

“I don’t know how anyone could deal with seeing their child so upset, and know there’s potential steps to help manage it, and not think ‘why is she having to wait?’”

Meanwhile Paul had difficulties getting reasonable adjustments in his previous job because he didn’t have a formal diagnosis.

“It causes such stress in this house because we are all at different stages and all need different support but at the moment we can’t access it,” Rebecca says.

“If they said to us, ‘in 18 months we start the assessment process’, we could use what little emotional resilience we had to get us to that point. But because it’s open-ended, every day feels like a slog.

“If this was physical health – if someone was diabetic, say – they wouldn’t be told ‘we’ll manage it with insulin, but wait 18 months’.

“It feels as it’s not important, it feels as if it’s bottom of the list and nobody cares about these children and getting them the support they need.”

Rebecca’s family are far from alone. There are 16,765 people with open referrals for suspected autism, up from 8,260 in October 2021.

The NHS figures do not include pre-school children. But Dr Helen Leonard, consultant in paediatric neurodisability at the Great North Children’s Hospital in Newcastle, said they are also seeing an explosion in numbers.

Dr Leonard’s team used to get 36 referrals a year when she started a decade ago. Now it’s over 200.

“There has been a huge increase in numbers but there hasn’t been enough increase in resources to keep up,” she said.

“There are more children referred but not more staff, that’s the bottom line. We have done every efficiency saving and service improvement we can, but we can’t do anything else without more resources.”

Families are increasingly turning to private companies for a diagnosis, but there is no guarantee that the verdict will be accepted by their local authority or the NHS.

The issue was covered by the North East Autism Society as part of the Everyday Equality campaign, looking at the challenges neurodivergent people often face in their daily lives.

“I am very concerned that the system appears to be in a state of collapse.

“From my conversations with colleagues in the local authorities around the region and in the health service, it’s clear the resources are not available to address assessment needs of people in the North East.

“And yet the Government’s own National Autism Strategy sets out the harms caused by delays in assessment, including falling into crisis and escalation of needs. We have to ask ourselves what exactly is happening here.”

John Phillipson, our CEO, said:

Employment Futures’ mission is to help remove barriers to meaningful and sustained employment for autistic and neurodivergent adults and those with a learning disability.

From humble beginnings as a two-person team in 2016, the department has grown rapidly and now boasts 19 staff, currently delivering four projects across the region.

Under the leadership of Derek Groves, Employment Futures has gone from strength to strength and has delivered more than 20 employability programmes to date, as well as delivering training and working with employers to promote inclusivity and highlight the benefits of a diverse workforce.

From helping people into employment to improving social inclusion, promoting access to training and further education, helping with benefits and finances and even supporting students, the team has helped more than 1,600 autistic and neurodivergent people to take their next steps.

“While we are an employment provision, we celebrate all of our clients’ achievements, whether that’s helping them to access a training course, improving their digital skills or simply boosting their confidence,” says Derek.

“Of course it is brilliant when someone enters employment, but focusing solely on that outcome would undervalue other important aspects of what we do.”

Seven years of Employment

The team are showing no signs of slowing down either, as they are preparing to launch another two programmes in the coming months. These include the Befriending Service in Durham, which is focused on helping socially isolated people to develop relationships and access support within the local community, and ProgressNE in the North of Tyne.

One of the first projects to be funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, ProgressNE will provide valuable help to out-of-work residents (aged 18 and over) in Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland who are looking to progress into good employment.

The programme will launch this autumn and will see Employment Futures once again team up with delivery partners Azure Charitable Enterprises, based in Cramlington, following the huge success of DiversityNE.

This month our employment provision, Employment Futures, celebrates its seventh birthday – so, in honour of the milestone, we’re looking back at everything they have achieved…

of success for Futures!

Testimonials

“I’d tell other people to come onto this programme –you’ll get so much experience. There’s a lot of people who can support you all the way, and if you don’t know something or don’t understand, just ask. I feel more confident than ever!”

Connor Caizley, YESNE Partipicant

Click here to read Connor’s story.

“I don’t think I could’ve got through that year and passed without the support of NEAS. They built my confidence back up and supported me through any problems I had, giving me solutions to problems and communicating with my university to advise them and pass on any information to them.”

Imogen Cox, Student Mentoring participant Click here to read Imogen’s story.

“It’s a lot of staring at number plates all day but I find it fun and satisfying. A lot of my colleagues have told me that they could not do my job as long as I do but I find it my greatest strength.

“I hope other employers see neurodivergence as an asset rather than a nuisance. We may need extra help in some areas, but we can also do things that other people wouldn’t be able to do, or simply wouldn’t enjoy.”

Hannah Roxborough, participated in TT2 pilot scheme

Click here to read Hannah’s story.

“I thought I had no chance of a role like the one I’m doing. I’m glad Alex pushed me as I would never have applied for it myself. They helped me in many ways, not just to get a job. They helped me get my confidence back.”

Michael Milson, DiversityNE participant Click here to read Michael’s story.

“I didn’t know my worth. But from the very first meeting with my mentor, he just understood me. He really related to me and knew what my triggers were,” she adds. He didn’t discriminate or judge me, he empowered me.”

Danielle Chapman, Personal Mentor Programme participant Click here to read Danielle’s story.

“I think autistic people can have barriers that make it harder for them to get employment than a neurotypical person. For me it was struggling with social interactions and getting anxious very easily. I think the support and guidance I was given really helped to ease my worries and boost my confidence to the point where I could go through a job interview and succeed.”

Callum Jewell, DiversityNE participant

Click here to read Callum’s story.

Visit the Employment Futures website or email employment@ne-as.org.uk to find out more or to access support for yourself or a loved one.

Spotlight on...

Autism Activists on the march

Our Autism Activists took to the streets with their latest project over the summer holidays.

Eight activists, aged between seven and 16, joined with OGRE Studio in Newcastle to create protest art and banners about what they want the world to know about autism.

Then they marched into the park at City Stadium in Shieldfield, Newcastle, waving their banners and chanting their message about autism acceptance.

“Their messages were very thought-provoking, and led to conversations with some members of the public,”

said Kerrie Highcock, NEAS family development manager, who runs the Autism Activists project.

“Young people can sometimes get spoken over. So it got people to recognise that young people’s voices are important, and it was all about them and the message they wanted to get out to the world.”

The young people, who come from all over the North East, met for four sessions at the Shieldfield Art Works venue with creative designer Steven Walker who runs OGRE Studio.

Their messages included “Get rid of the care culture”, “Stop cutting funding in schools,” “Listen and learn,” and “Normal is subjective”.

They also wrote news stories about their march, and their work will go on display to friends and families in November.

The Autism Activists’ groups, which run periodically in different locations, are a chance for young autistic people to connect in a safe space, to learn more about themselves and each other, and to get autistic voices heard.

Kerrie said:

“Being able to express themselves with art, not just through words, can be very beneficial.

“There were a couple of friendships that developed and the group had a positive impact on everyone’s wellbeing.”

To find out more about the Autism Activists project, email Kerrie at kerrie.highcock@ne-as.org.uk.

Well done Maisie Canterdale

Employee of the Quarter

Every quarter, NEAS staff are asked to nominate a colleague who has gone above and beyond in the delivery of their duties to benefit the Society and the individuals that we support.

This quarter, the winner is Maisie Canterdale, a teaching assistant at our Mackenzie Thorpe Centre school in South Bank, Teesside.

Maisie organised a very special sports day for pupils at Mackenzie Thorpe Centre and sister school Kiora Hall, Stockton, to mark the end of term in July.

The inclusive event was all about taking part, not winning or losing, and was the first time many of our pupils had attended a sports day.

Principals Tracey Train and Mark Ellison nominated Maisie for the award. Tracey said:

“Maisie organised the sports day almost singlehandedly. She planned the activities around learners’ support needs and ensured that it was fully inclusive for all.

“The day was a huge success and this was mainly due to Maisie’s detail in her planning. Every class was given a handbook to support the activities, and Maisie even planned rest periods for pupils with sensory play and refreshments to ensure they weren’t overwhelmed.

“She also invited parents and carers along towards the end of the event so they could witness their child taking part. For many pupils, they would have been excluded from sports days in their mainstream school.”

More than 50 children took part in the sports day at Middlesbrough Sports Village which featured seven events including foam javelin throwing and a relay race using sensory circles as batons.

Maisie, who competes herself in regional and national netball tournaments, said: “I think every school should have a sports day and I wanted to ensure that our pupils were offered the same experiences as children in mainstream schools.”

Congratulations to Maisie, who wins £50 in vouchers and automatic entry into the CEO Commendation prize in this year’s staff Star Awards. Our next Employee of the Quarter will be announced in the winter edition of The Loop.

Highlights of the quarter

From fantastic fundraising feats to award-winning employees (and chickens!) - here are our highlights of the quarter…

A very special sports day

More than 50 pupils from the Mackenzie Thorpe Centre and Kiora Hall took part in a very special sports day at Middlesbrough Sports Village on July 13th.

Tracey Train, Principal of Kiora Hall, explained that the event was the first time many of the pupils had taken part in a sports day, as they may have found mainstream school events overwhelming or dysregulating.

The inclusive event was planned by Teaching Assistant Maisie Canterdale, who put together a circuit of seven events, with pupils encouraged to take part in whatever they felt comfortable with.

Click here to read the full story

Summer Fete success

Despite poor weather, New Warlands Farm hosted its annual Summer Fete in July.

With stalls selling products created by the adults who access our day services, refreshments and tasty treats baked on site, the event was a huge success and raised a total of £2,864.33 with a further £126 in orders.

Award for ‘model employee’ Zinnia

Zinnia Young, who works for our maintenance team, was named Painting and Decorating Apprentice of the Year. Zinnia, who joined NEAS in 2017 as an apprentice, was the worthy winner at the Durham City Freemen Apprentice of the Year Awards, which took place at Durham Town Hall on Friday 30th June.

Zinnia’s manager Bob Richardson, Head of Maintenance, added: “Since employing Zinnia as a decorator apprentice, she has proven to be a valued member of my staff.

“I am so proud of her achievements as her manager, she is keen, dedicated and very conscientious with her post. A model employee.”

Click here to read the full story

History hike in aid of NEAS

NEAS supporter Kieran Carter, whose three-year-old daughter is autistic, completed a three-day History Hike from Hexham to Hartlepool to raise funds for the Society.

Kieran live Tweeted his hike through pit villages and along old Roman roads and Victorian wagon ways on his account @neheritagelib, pointing out sites of historical interest on the way – and he raised an incredible £1,124 as a result.

Click here to read the full story

Egg-cellent day at the Great Yorkshire Show

Steph Lycett, Senior Programme Support Worker at New Warlands Farm, attended the Great Yorkshire Show – and came away with not one, but two gongs!

NEAS won two first prizes in the show’s photography competition for pictures of one of our chickens and a nest of beautifully coloured eggs.

While eggs laid by chickens at our site in Edmondsley, County Durham, went on display at the agricultural show in Harrogate in July.

Multiple vacancies available in Northumberland, Newcastle, Durham, North Shields & Sunderland Join

Multiple vacancies available in Northumberland, Newcastle, Durham, North Shields & Sunderland Join

Specialist Training Employee Discounts Million dollar smiles

Training Employee Discounts Million dollar smiles

Due to the expansion of our services we are looking for passionate individuals to join our care and education services.

Due to the expansion of our services we are looking for passionate individuals to join our care and education services.

Previous experience isn't essential -you'll be given all the training and guidance you need. Full-time and part-time positions available.

Previous experience isn't essential -you'll be given all the training and guidance you need. Full-time and part-time positions available.

Apply today! www.ne-as.org.uk/careers

Call 0191 4924387 or email recruitment@ne-as.org.uk

Call 0191 4924387 or email recruitment@ne-as.org.uk

*View website for full terms and conditions.

*View website for full terms and conditions.