My connection

You should probably know my links to autism, why I want to support this charity.  It started when I was 14.

When I was 14, I was just starting Explorer Scouts.  One of my leaders ran a playgroup for children with autism and asked if anyone would mind helping set things up one morning a month.  I said yes, turned up and set the different items up, then stayed on to help for the rest of the morning.  I then went back every time it ran until I left to go to university.  Even then I would come back and help out during holiday time.

I had no personal link to autism, it just seemed the right thing to do.

I think its the differences in the children that I saw that made it so worthwhile.  One really springs to mind.  A young boy, can't have been more than 4 or 5 when he first came, and looked really scared.  But a few months later, he was completely different.  He was so happy whenever he came, and he had a smile that would light up entire rooms.

I know that change wasn't down to me, but I like to think that I helped.  And the change in that one young boy in itself made all the hours I spent more than worth it.  Not counting the changes I saw in others.

I've since done a few events to raise money for NAS, including running a half marathon for them. I now know friends who have autistic relatives and it only spurs me on to try and raise more to help them.

What I'm planning on is something bigger than I've ever done before.  I think it's a great cause and I will do what I can to help it.