NotesPlus… from our CEO Save the Date And more! BEHIND THE MASK FIGHTING FOR LIAM SPOTLIGHT ON THE T6 CHALLENGE Autumn edition 2022 ne-as.org.uk
We are always looking for new and better ways to provide support where it’s needed most, and to celebrate and equip autistic and neurodivergent individuals to fulfil their potential in life.
Finally, in a first for the Society, we are running a campaign about one of the biggest issues affecting autistic and neurodivergent people of all ages –masking. The Behind the Mask campaign (pages 6-7) features a series of videos and podcasts where autistic guests and professionals discuss what masking is, why people do it, the impact it has on their mental health, and how families and teachers can spot it. This is only just the start. No subject will be off the table as we explore a whole range of topics that are important to autistic people and their families in regular campaigns and podcasts.
I’m delighted to see evidence of this throughout this edition of The Loop, including the Society’s visit to Heaton Mosque to spread awareness of our services – and job opportunities – among the Muslim community in Newcastle (page 16). You can also read about my research trip to cider producers in Somerset, as we seek to expand our own cider-making social enterprise at New Warlands Farm in County Durham and give individuals valuable vocational experience.
Finding a job is one of the most difficult hurdles for autistic people, but our fast-growing employability programmes are pioneering new ways to change employer attitudes and support individuals into work.
It’s part of our commitment to put autistic and neurodivergent people at the heart of everything we do. However much we as an organisation develop, that’s the one thing that will never change.
See pages 8-9 for how successful they have been.
John Phillipson Chief Executive Officer
John Phillipson
Notes from our CEO
One of the things I love most about working for the North East Autism Society is that we never stand still.
That’s why we have been expanding our services rapidly throughout the North East. Our new school Kiora Hall in Roseworth, Stockton, which opened its doors for the new academic year, is testament to Butthat.it’s not just about services. It’s also about the people we reach, the messages we send, and the ways we can amplify the voices of autistic people and challenge the barriers they can still face in the wider world.
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Last week a team of nine cyclists took on our most challenging bike ride to date! Highlights of the Quarter From new equipment in our education provisions to days out in the sunshine. Read our highlights.
A record number of North East companies are to provide work placements for autistic young people as part of our scheme to try to help reduce the disability employment gap. Fighting for Liam Ever since their beloved middle son was diagnosed as autistic, Bob and Linda Cuffe have been fighting for Liam.
Spotlight on… our T6 Challenge
We’ve launched our Behind the Mask campaign, talking to autistic adults and practitioners in a series of videos about everything to do with masking.
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North East Autism Society Unit 15 Lumley Court Drum Industrial CompanyRegisteredwww.ne-as.org.ukinfo@ne-as.org.uk0191DH2Chester-le-StreetEstate1AN4109974CharityNo.1028260LimitedbyGuarantee No. 2859620 16
I didn’t lose my son… I gained a family
We’ve put together a list of events you don’t want to miss this autumn. Behind the Mask
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Save the Date…
Like any parent, Angela Maughan struggled with the idea of her autistic son Kelvin going into residential care.
YESNE: 100 placements for autistic young people!
AUTISM T H I S I S 1:29 -2:32 Episode 1 - Masking Launching Friday 23rd September New Podcast JODIE SMIT Autism Specialist DR AMY PEARSON Psychologist KIERAN ROSE The Autistic Advocate Guest Speakers www.ne-as.org.uk/podcast www.ne-as.org.uk/podcast
Find out more www.ne-as.org.uk/T6Virtualat:
Find out more online at: ne-as.org.uk/events
The world’s favourite half marathon returns to its traditional route this year. A team of 35 runners will be taking on the challenge to support NEAS and the work we do. If you’d like to support the team, you can donate by clicking here.
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Gethttps://www.ne-as.org.uk/the-peoples-choiceintouchby30September2022
Last month, a team of cyclists took on our toughest cycle challenge to date. The team cycled a mammoth 330 miles in just three days. By popular demand, we’ve launched a virtual T6 Challenge meaning you can take on the challenge anywhere, anytime. Think you could complete the distance in three days? Maybe a week? Perhaps across a whole month might suit you better? Pick a timeframe, set up a fundraising page and start peddling!
11 September 2022
People’s Choice Award
Host Your Own Event!
Great North Run
Interested in running next year? Contact our Fundraising Officer, Jon Appleton, to register your interest. Email jon.appleton@ne-as.org.uk
Our Star Awards celebrating the brilliant staff at NEAS are returning in November after they were cancelled during lockdown. And for the first time, the public can nominate members of staff who have made an impact on the lives of families or people who access our services.
T6 Virtual Challenge
So whether you’re a service user, a parent/carer, or a professional who works with us, you can put forward the name of a staff member who has gone the extra mile to make a real difference over the past three years. Read more, and find the online nomination form, at
Anytime, anywhere Save the Dates
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 10k every day for a whole year!
Our fundraising team are on hand to support you host your own event and can support you every step of the way. Email fundraising@ne-as.org.uk with your ideas.
The choice is yours!
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:
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Our guests described masking as suppressing parts of your identity to meet the expectations of people around you. Masking develops as a way to keep yourself safe and avoid the stigma associated with being an autistic person in a majority non-autistic world. Amy Pearson described making a list of things about herself she thought annoyed other people when she was a teenager.
It’s difficult for families and friends of autistic people to spot, let alone educational and medical professionals. Yet masking can lead to misdiagnosis and burnout, so it’s vital that we all understand it.
The guests are: Kieran Rose (The Autistic Advocate); Dr Amy Pearson (a psychologist); Jodie Smitten (autism specialist); Zoe and Nic King (ZAP advocacy and Pandas Online); Kerrie Highcock (our family development manager), and Tracey Train (principal of Mackenzie Thorpe Centre school). Their insight and advice will be invaluable to autistic people, parents and professionals. We know that we, here at NEAS, learned a huge amount from the campaign.
Behind theDr PearsonAmy SmittenJodie HighcockKerrie KieranRose
Masking is something we all do to project an “acceptable” version of ourselves – but for those of us who are autistic, it can feel like something we do to survive.
Behind the Mask talks to autistic adults and practitioners in a series of videos about everything to do with masking: what it is, what it looks like, why people do it, the impact it has, how to spot it and what we can do about it.
TraceyTrain ZoeNic&
That’s why the North East Autism Society has launched a new campaign called Behind the Mask, which you can see on our website, on YouTube, on social media and – in the very near future – our new podcast.
Masking can also delay referrals for assessment, given that the criteria include children presenting as autistic in more than one setting.
“If you’ve got a child that’s masking in school, masking at Brownies or Scouts and only ever presenting at home, it has massive implications on getting that child supported,” Jodie Smitten said.
All the videos can be seen on our website and our YouTube channel, along with a Q&A session with guests and links to further resources. If you have a question, or if there is a topic you would like to see covered in a future campaign or podcast, please contact us at marketing@ne-as.org.uk.
Kieran said it was the birth of his first baby that reversed the process for him. They were left alone for three hours while his wife underwent surgery, and as they sat and stared at each other Kieran thought: “How can I be a good father to this child when I’m living such a superficial existence?”
Jodie Smitten told parents to trust their instincts if they thought their child was not OK. Signs of masking include a child behaving differently between school and home, appearing exhausted or going into meltdown at home.
Kieran Rose explained that stigma and invalidation were at the heart of masking. “As autistic people, we’re pathologised on every single level of who we are – around the way we eat, the way we move, the way we think, the way we speak, even how we sleep.
“I had a sense that there were bits of myself that I needed to hide,” she said. “If I could just work out what it was, then I could fix it by making sure people didn’t see it any more.”
the Mask
Mother and daughter Nic and Zoe King used first-hand experience to explain what masking can do to autistic Beingpeople.told everything is fine, when it’s patently not, can lead to a loss of sense of self and a feeling that your own needs or emotions don’t matter. “Gaslighting yourself in your own head” is how 13-year-old Zoe described it. In turn, this can result in autistic burnout.
But it’s not always a conscious process. Sometimes people suppress emotions or elements of themselves so deeply that they lose sight of them and can’t “de-mask”, even when they are in a safe space or on their own.
“So as you grow older you are invalidated on every level of who you are, unless you change your behaviours to meet the expectations of others.”
And Mackenzie Thorpe Centre Principal Tracey Train also gave teachers advice on what to look out for in pupils.
What Masking?is 7
Lack of confidence can be another hurdle for participants, so the scheme offers them travel training, schedules and instructions for the placement, and advance visits to the workplace so participants can familiarise themselves with the surroundings.
More than 100 organisations – from the National Trust at Gibside to Sage UK in North Tyneside - have signed up to the Youth Employment Service (YESNE)
Other employers include Stagecoach North East, Eldon Square, Newcastle Castle, Gentoo and Clearly Drinks in Sunderland, as well as smaller businesses like Weights & Cakes gym, New Enterprise Studio and Darwin Brewery in Sunderland.
“We show them at first-hand what people have to offer, and what simple little things they can do to help people excel.”
A record number of North East companies are to provide work placements for autistic young people as part of our scheme to try to help reduce the disability employment gap.
Just 29% of autistic people in the UK are in paid employment, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. That compares to an overall UK employment rate of 75%.
Ben Stewart, Employment Engagement Officer for YESNE, says: “One of the biggest barriers is a lack of understanding on the part of employers.
Theprogramme.coursewill help 69 autistic and neurodivergent 18 to 24-year-olds into work, training or further education and runs for 16 weeks from October.
100 placements on offer for autistic young people
Pearl Saddington, senior volunteer and community officer, says: “Here at Gibside and throughout the National Trust, we are working hard to reflect and be more relevant to the many diverse communities outside of our doors.
“We are looking forward to working with YESNE and the training they are going to provide for our staff and volunteers so we can provide the best experience we can for their participants.”
YESNE launched a year ago with a first cohort of nine people, five of whom went into Further Education, training or paid employment.
Production manager Tracy Mallam says: “If you give people a chance and look past what you might see as obstacles, you find some fantastic people. The rewards are Thefantastic.”YESNE scheme, which runs twice-weekly workshops in Gateshead, Sunderland, and North Shields, is currently accepting referrals for its next cohort in October. Employers and young people can find out more at https://www.yesne.org.uk
Connor Caizley, 20, from Wallsend, who had a placement at Stagecoach, says: “My favourite thing has been getting experience of things I haven’t seen before. There’s a lot of people who support you all the way.
The National Trust at Gibside is the latest organisation to join YESNE and will offer placements on its Social Forestry programme, where volunteers carry out conservation and habitat management tasks across its 750-acre site.
Clearly Drinks, a soft drinks manufacturer in Sunderland, has offered jobs to four people out of eight who have gone
“I was nervous at the start but now I feel much more confident now than ever.”
on placement in the past several years.
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“We refused to accept that he wouldn’t have any prospects and vowed to do whatever it took to give him the best chance in life,” says Bob as he sits in the sun outside a coffee shop in Stokesley, reflecting on a battle that took decades to win.
forFightingLiam
In a deeply moving and honest account, one of Tees Valley’s best-known business figures tells PETER BARRON why he’s appealing to the business community to get behind the North East Autism Society.
Bob is one of the area’s most prominent business figures, and was awarded the MBE in 2018 for services to business and economic development on HeTeesside.hasmore than 35 years’ experience in the regional media. Formerly Trinity Mirror regional managing director, he now serves as chair of JICREG (the Joint Industry Currency for Regional Media Research), vice chair of Darlington Building Society, and a non-executive director for Jacksons Law, Thirteen Group and Tees Business magazine.
He’s a man who has never been afraid to use his connections and experience to influence change and lobby. And he had no hesitation in agreeing to tell his family story, in the hope it inspires the business community to support NEAS … Bob and Linda have been married for 40 years and have three sons: Christopher, 31, Liam, 29, and Kieran, 25.
It’s been a hard fight – heartbreaking and exhausting – but the couple can look back in the knowledge that Liam is happy now, because he’s in the care of the North East Autism Society – a charity that Bob describes as a Redcar-born“godsend”.
Liam was born in Nuneaton, while Bob was the Coventry Telegraph’s advertising director. By the time Bob moved his family back to his native North East two years later, having accepted an offer to become general advertising manager at the Newcastle Evening Chronicle, Liam’s natural development had stalled. “He couldn’t go anywhere without his favourite blanket – he was standing still, and we could see something was wrong, but we knew nothing about autism,” recalls Bob. “Liam started to have various tests until we were given the cold and brutal diagnosis that Liam was autistic. We were told he faced serious challenges, his prospects were grim, and it was a terrible time. We just felt devastated and alone.”
Ever since their beloved middle son was diagnosed as autistic, Bob and Linda Cuffe have been fighting for Liam.
It remained tough but everything changed for the better after Bob read about a family complaining about being served by an autistic waiter in Manchester. Owner Mike Jennings had backed the waiter in the face of the criticism, and Bob was moved to write a Facebook post, supporting the restaurant’s stance, and highlighting the challenges he and Linda had faced with Liam. Journalist Lindsay Bruce, who had been at the Gazette during Bob’s time as MD, had moved on to work in the marketing department at NEAS and brought the Cuffe family’s plight to the attention of the charity’s chief executive, John Phillipson.
The result was that NEAS found a place for Liam at a residential home called Brentwood, in Sunderland, and he’s still there. He also attends another adult day centre, known as Number 24, where he enjoys a range of activities, including trampolining, swimming, day trips, and a special needs disco. “We were shown videos of him dancing and we couldn’t believe it. His life has been enriched, and a weight has been lifted from us,” says Bob. Liam, who also has epilepsy, requires round-the-clock care but comes home for long weekends. “It’s exhausting but it’s a joy to have him home,” adds Bob. “We’re reconciled that Brentwood is his long-term home but he’s still part of our lives.” Bob was recently made a patron of NEAS and he’s determined to do whatever he can to support the charity, which has recently opened two new schools on Teesside. “If, through my business contacts, I can be an advocate for NEAS – whether it’s encouraging work experience and employment, or fundraising – I’ll be proud to do it,” says Bob. “The difference they made to us has been lifechanging, because we know that when we’re not here, someone who really cares will have Liam’s back. We don’t have to fight anymore –because the North East Autism Society is there to do the fighting for us.” To find out more about how you can support our work, and how this could benefit your business, please visit www.ne-as.org.uk/corporate-partnerships, email business@ne-as.org.uk or contact the Society’s fundraising team on 0191 312 1112. 11
“I couldn’t talk about it. I felt a lot of anger and I don’t think I became a very good person at that time,” admits Bob. “Unlike Linda, I had the comfort of work and there were times I used it to hide. Linda was truly extraordinary – a lioness looking after her cubs.” Having carried out research into autism, Bob and Linda found the pioneering Higashi School, in Boston, USA, where there was evidence of autistic children making dramatic progress.
Liam was taken to Boston to be assessed when he was five and joined the school a year later. With Bob and Linda losing a tribunal after Gateshead Borough Council refused to provide financial support, the couple had to scrape together the £50,000-per-year cost from their savings and fundraising events. “On the first flight to Boston, the stewardess asked why we were going and, on the flight back, the same crew handed over £250 they’d collected for us. I’ll never forget that act of kindness to complete strangers,” says Bob. “It was heartbreaking, leaving him for 14 weeks at a time, but we could see he was making progress.” Eventually, Gateshead Borough Council agreed to pay roughly half of the costs of sending Liam to Boston, and he was there for two years. However, the couple were persuaded that provision back on Tyneside had improved, so they brought their son home. “We quickly discovered it hadn’t improved at all, and we felt like we were back to square one,” says Bob. When the family moved to Stokesley, ahead of Bob being made managing director of the Gazette, Liam attended a special needs school in Morton-on-Swale before being moved to a care provider in Murton when he was 18.
That’s when the fight began in earnest. Liam was sent to a special needs school, in Gateshead, where the provision for autistic children was “sadly lacking and awful”.
Julie Dunlop is the Registered Manager of Braemar Gardens, where Kelvin stays with two other boys. She and her team did everything they could to support his transition into the home during lockdown when physical visits weren’t allowed.
“Kelvin has ADHD and doesn’t like sitting at a desk, so they let him move around during indoor learning and they do outdoor classes with him in the afternoon.
After that, Angela is looking forward to the future. “I can’t believe how much our situation has changed. Kelvin will be coming across and we’ll have barbecues together in the garden. The Braemar people will be coming too, and it’s like my family are coming with him.
speaking has come on leaps and bounds and he has started interacting well with the other boys at Braemar Gardens, sharing toys and playing. He has started school at Thornhill Park nearby and – unlike earlier experiences of school – he loves it.
“What they’ve done for him is amazing,” Angela says.
“The best thing we’ve all got out of this is family –family and support. Kelvin needed it, I needed it.”
She is also planning to get married to Simon in October and is hoping that Kelvin will be there to be the ring-bearer. She has arranged the day at Bowburn Hall, County Durham, around Kelvin’s needs, so he has a woodland area to explore, outdoor toys, a quiet room, and seats at the back so he can run in and out of the ceremony.
12Like any parent, Angela Maughan struggled with the idea of her autistic son Kelvin going into residential care.
Braemar staff developed strategies to support him that are applied consistently at school and during visits home to see Kelvin’sAngela.
Outside school, Kelvin loves water play, beaches and exploring rock pools, and care staff are taking him on holiday to Crimdon Dene over the summer to do just that.
But the pair of them had reached crisis point during the first Covid lockdown, when 10-year-old Kelvin had lost his school placement and all his routines. Angela, who is also autistic and was a single mum at the time, could no longer cope, and her social worker found a place for Kelvin at Braemar Gardens in Sunderland. “He went to Braemar and I thought, ‘I’ve lost him now’. But I didn’t lose him. I gained a family,” Angela says now, two years on. Staff did just become my family. I can’t even explain how much they mean to me. They’re not just looking after Kelvin, they’re looking after all of us.”
“He would tell me he missed me and loved me, but he was upbeat – and seeing him happy helped me get through it as well. They made it a very positive experience for him.” Since then, Angela has been overjoyed to see how Kelvin has settled down and developed. He quickly got into a routine, and
“They came out and spent time with him, bringing photos and walk-round videos to show us,” Angela explains. “When he went in, they did regular video calls between Kelvin and me.
With the help and encouragement of staff, Angela, 39, has found her life improving, too. She has moved into a new home with her partner Simon and has kitted out Kelvin’s bedroom with the toys and TV he loves.
“I didn’t lose my son… I gained a family.”
1318 Exciting new opportunities have arisen to join our care services across the North-east. While we value experience, it is not essential –all we ask is that you’re hard-working, willing to learn and want to make a difference to the lives of others. www.ne-as.org.uk/careers recruitment@ne-as.org.uk 0191 410 9974
“We’re immensely grateful to our sponsors, including LM Global Telecoms, Marsh Commercial, Fleet Recruitment, and Total Business Group, to our amazing support team, and to everyone who has donated to our fundraising.”
Starting from Amsterdam, the route took the team through Oberhausen, twinned with Middlesbrough; Mülheim an der Ruhr, twinned with Darlington; Essen, twinned with Sunderland; Wuppertal, twinned with South Tyneside; and Mönchengladbach, twinned with North Tyneside.
Cyclists raise £7,300 for NEAS after 365-mile ride.
For information about next year’s ride, visit www.ne-as.co.uk or follow NEAS on Facebook.
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Spotlight on... The T6 Challenge
“It was a fantastic experience,” Kevin added. “Every year we try to outdo ourselves, both in terms of how much we raise and how far we ride. We’re looking forward to coming up with something even better for next year!
A team of nine intrepid cyclists has raised thousands for NEAS by cycling across Europe.
The group undertook the Twin Town Tour Twenty Twenty Two Challenge (or T6 Challenge) in aid of the Society, visiting locations in Germany and the Netherlands which are twinned with North-east towns where NEAS has Kevinservices.Meikle, fundraising manager for NEAS, said: “Our annual cycling challenge keeps getting bigger and better each year, and there’s no doubt that this was the toughest one yet, but it’s also been the most rewarding.
“After celebrating the 40th anniversary of the society last year by cycling all across the North of England, we really wanted to do something on an even bigger scale, but keep it connected to our roots in the North-east.
“It’s been a fantastic experience to visit so many beautiful areas that are twinned with the communities that NEAS serves, and to raise so much money to support our work there.
The team raised £7,384.00 and counting towards NEAS’s vital work, beating last year’s total of £6,000. The journey took them three days and they cycled 365 miles.
She has also created sensory-based craft projects involving recycling, including a polypocket sensory craft activity pictured here. And she has gone above and beyond to take photographs of the individuals on Short Breaks to send to their families and post on activity noticeboards to celebrate their “Kimberlyachievements.hassent so many lovely photographs and a lot of them are with people who have made friends at the lodges which is even more special,” Sonja says.
WellKimberlydonePearson
Kimberly was nominated by Adult Short Breaks manager Sonja Evans, who said she “has the needs of the people we support at the centre of everything she does.”
As always, we had a flood of nominations, demonstrating the hard work, kindness and dedication of our staff on a daily basis. It was a hard choice for CEO John Phillipson but he has selected Kimberly Pearson, care support assistant at Adult Short Breaks at New Warlands Farm in County Durham.
Employee of the Quarter
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One of Kimberly’s initiatives has been to create a positive affirmation box filled with inspirational quotes for staff at Short Breaks and the individuals they support. “It was a complete surprise – nobody asked Kimberly to do this,” Sonja says.
Our next Employee of the Quarter will be chosen this month and announced in the Winter edition of The Loop. All our winners will be in the running for a brand new prize – the CEO Commendation – at this year’s Star Awards. Find out more about our Support Worker vacancies at ne-as.org.uk/careers
Congratulations to Kimberly and her team at the end of a busy summer for Adult Short Breaks, which gives individuals the chance to make friends, build independence and take part in a variety of activities in the beautiful setting of New Warlands Farm.
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.
Summer fete success July saw the return of our summer fetes across our education services. We opened our doors at New Warlands Farm, Mackenzie Thorpe Centre and Thornhill Park School and featured a range of products handmade by the young people and adults in our service. Make sure you read the next edition of The Loop to save the date for our winter fetes. Schools under the hammer Work began at Thornhill Park School to transform the courtyard for our pupils. A new playground was installed at the Mackenzie Thorpe Centre, and a slide has been installed in the playground at Aycliffe School. We can’t wait to see our children and young people enjoying their new equipment! Cheers! Our CEO John Phillipson, joined by Fundraising Manager –Kevin Meikle embarked on a research trip to the heart of cider in Somerset last week. Expertly guided by Bob Chaplin master maker, with 50 years’ experience and passion creating cider to surpass all others, the team visited a number of producers of varying scales in the furtherance of NEAS own cider-making social enterprise. London calling Kane Freeman, who accesses our Independent Supported Living service, took a trip to London with NEAS staff to see Grease the musical. Kane saw the sights of London on an open top bus and boat trip.
Highlights of the Quarter
Investing in Children
Our CEO, John Phillipson, visited Heaton Mosque and delivered a short speech before Friday prayers discussing the work we do and how we can work together in the Followingfuture. this we hosted a special event in partnership with Heaton Mosque and IETUK where our recruitment team discussed job opportunities, and our Family Development team and CEO were on hand to discuss what the Society offers in terms of support for families. We’re excited to watch this partnership grow..
Our pupils from Aycliffe School worked on a special project with Investing in Children to help create a new website about autism. Our pupils shared their interests, views and opened up about their experiences of autism. Well done to everyone who took part!
New partnership with Heaton Mosque and The International Emergency Team UK
It’s been another busy few months here at the North East Autism Society! Here are our highlights of the quarter…
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climbCatbellsraisesmoneyforNEAS
Despite the rain and high temperatures, they had no problems on the three-and-a-half-hour walk.
The group were cheered on by other walkers as they scaled Catbells in the Lake District, raising £950 so far for the AndSociety.theyreceived a public round of applause when they reached the 451-metre summit. “One of the parents was nearly in tears when we rang from the top to say we’d done it,” says Number 14 Registered Manager, Joanne Keers. “On the way up, members of the public cheered us on, telling us we were doing well. When we reached the top, people clapped.”
“Everyone did really well and it was an amazing day.” If you’d like to donate to their fundraising page, you can do so here: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/NEAS14
Only one member of staff had climbed Catbells before, so the group practised in advance with long walks at weekends. They got new walking boots and packed lots of snacks to keep them going on the climb.
Seven members of staff took part in the climb, six from Number 14 and one from Residential Activity Support.
Five adults from our Number 14 residential care home, together with staff, climbed their first mountain to raise money for the North East Autism Society.
“We were holding hands to help each other up the difficult bits, encouraging each on,” Joanne adds.
It’s an exciting time for the North East Autism Society as we expand our vital services across the region. We are looking for a number of new Trustees to help us realise our mission of supporting autistic and neurodivergent children, young people and adults to fulfil their potential.
Find out more www.ne-as.org.uk/Become-a-Trusteeat: Registered Charity No. 1028260
Become a Trustee
“Being a parent of a young autistic man myself, I recognise the importance of having the right people deliver the right levels of service to our family members.” – John Hodgson, NEAS Trustee
Trustees play a hugely important role in our Society, taking responsibility for the charity’s overall governance and leading on our values and strategic direction.
