Garden signs up to back appeal for children
Popular attraction backs charity with pledge to hold special festive autism-accessible event for families
RHS GARDEN HARLOW Carr has pledged to hold a special festive session for families of children with autism next year in a boost to The Yorkshire Post Christmas appeal.
The Royal Horticultural Society garden in Harrogate is planning to work with the charity Autism Angels and hold a Christmas event with the chance to meet Father Christmas.
The Yorkshire Post Christmas appeal is this year calling on readers to help raise funds for Autism Angels, which uses horses to help children on the autistic spectrum.
But we also want to make a real difference in increasing awareness and understanding and so are calling on places such as attractions, theatres and shops to hold special autism-accessible events enabling families to enjoy the day-to-day activities that others do.
Families of children with the developmental disorder which leaves them struggling to interact can feel isolated, and often feel judged when they do venture out.
Amy Croxton, events manager at Harlow Carr, said: “We just want to make it a very relaxed and positive experience.”
She praised the work of Autism Angels and also The
Yorkshire Post appeal to get more autism accessible events.
“It is brilliant. It is about time. It is so important for people to have that awareness,” she added.
Lynn Westerman Holt, a parent who works with Autism Angels, which is based on a farm between Harrogate and Leeds, said: “Sensory challenges, differences in processing information, changes to routine and difficulties making sense of social expectations can make accessing the world confusing, and even frightening for a child with autism.
“Being able to take their children for a fun family experience and create positive, lasting memories is not something which can be readily achieved by their parents.
“To be able to visit places where staff are understanding of the challenges which your family face, and which have made even the smallest adaptations to make their premises more accessible and inclusive to all, gives these families back some hope and confidence to keep trying to offer their children the same opportunities to learn, grow and enjoy life which others may take for granted.”
Autism Angels, founded by horse-whisperer Sarah Craven, works with children of all ages with additional needs at the farm near Sicklinghall.
The charity’s programmes work with horses to create reallife situations for the children and their families, but in an environment they find calming.
The work includes mentoring programmes and family sessions as well as fun days and camps.
For Mrs Craven, best known under her maiden name of Kreutzer, it’s more than a centre; it’s a community.
“It’s become somewhere people can go unconditionally,” she said.
“For some, it’s a second home. We want to become a sanctuary, where they can grow and stretch.”
It is brilliant. It is about time. It is so important to have that awareness. Amy Croxton, events manager at Harlow Carr.