Autism support group

As part of National Autism Awareness month in April, Mark Batunas from our Maintenance team set up a support group for children, parents and carers of all ages.

The aim of the group is to bring people together to socialise, talk about their experience, support each other and access help from other agencies.

The first one took place on Wednesday 7 June and was a huge success. Following this, Mark has set up five more at The Arc in Westcliff on the first Wednesday of each month, between 10am – 12pm.

Autism is a complex brain disorder that often inhibits a person’s ability to communicate, respond to surroundings, and form relationships with others.

Mark is passionate about the subject, as his two sons are diagnosed with autism and this affects his families lives every day.

He said: “I want to make sure everyone gets the support they need. I know from personal experience how difficult this can be, so it’s very important to me.”

To find out more about the support groups, go to: www.facebook.com/TheArcWestcliff.

For more information on autism and get access to free online resources, go to: www.autism.org.uk.