Shropshire Council and A4U to hold Autism Hub open day on 2 April 2015

Shropshire Council, along with its partner A4U, is to have an open day of its new Shropshire Autism Hub on Thursday 2 April 2015.

The weekly hub is open to anyone on the autism spectrum, including Asperger Syndrome, and their carers from 12pm until 4pm every Thursday at Louise House in Shrewsbury.

The first session took place on in January 2015 and proved to be a great success.

Michelle Ragdale, Shropshire Council’s development lead officer for adult services, said:

“I was so pleased to hear the great feedback from the people who came along to the first hub session.

“Sessions such as these enable us to provide, along with our partner A4U, a quality service to those individuals on the Autism Spectrum (with or without a diagnosis) who may otherwise not receive any support. It’s all about giving people a greater quality of life and supporting them to increase their confidence and independence.

“Representatives from Shropshire Council and Shrewsbury Town Football Club, including Lenny the Lion, will be there on the day and we look forward to seeing as many people as possible.”

The Autism Hub was made possible by capital grant funding, and as well as these weekly events, a number of improvements have been made to the building and the facilities it offers.

New IT equipment provides an opportunity for those more experienced in using IT to use the facilities and also support others who are less experienced in using computers, the Internet and making online applications. There is weekly support available in the IT suite for three and a half hours.

The building has undergone some improvements to make it more welcoming and homely for the people who use it. This includes new noticeboards, comfortable seating, sensory lighting and a projector to project information onto the walls. There is also a quiet room available which can be used for one to one support or those seeking some peace and quiet.

A4U have been able to raise funds through donations to launch healthy cooking sessions where individuals will be able to plan, shop, prepare and take home a healthy meal. These will begin in April, using the Louise House kitchen and café facilities.

For more information about the Care Act in Shropshire, please visit the council’s website (shropshire.gov.uk/adult-social-care/the-care-act/).

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