Published on: 19th July 2024
Lincolnshire’s Virtual Autism Hub has awarded £121,000 of funding to new and existing community-led groups to increase social and learning opportunities for autistic people, their families and carers.
The Hub, run by Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT), launched in March this year to offer non-clinical advice and support via a team of Specialist Autism Navigators for autistic people of all ages, their families and carers. The roll out of grants marks the second phase in the team’s vision to create a co-ordinated county-wide network of support.
Anne-Marie Gregory, Project Manager for the Virtual Autism Hub, said:
“We’re delighted this funding will increase what’s on offer for autistic people and their families who may need informal support, learning or social opportunities in a supportive and understanding environment.”
The groups benefitting from the first wave of grants are:
- Alford Hub - A new support group called ‘Aspiration Support’ looking at skills and independence for children and younger people aged 14 and over.
- Community Learning in Partnership (CLIP) – A weekly support group called ‘Diverse Connections’ for parents, running on alternate weeks in Mablethorpe and Alford. They also provide a weekly online support group for autistic adults living in East or West Lindsey.
- Community Learning in Partnership (CLIP) – ‘Thriving Abilities’ - A weekly support group for autistic men and a weekly support group for autistic women in Gainsborough.
- Creatively Autistic Together - A new organisation that will provide monthly adult Dungeons & Dragons sessions in Grantham.
- Darkside Rising CIC – Self-defence and mindfulness sessions in Lincoln for autistic females.
- MindSpace - An autistic adults’ group in Bourne, recently established to offer fortnightly adult support sessions.
- MindSpace - Fortnightly adult support sessions in Stamford.
- PAACT (Parents & Autistic Children Together) – A face-to-face post-diagnostic course in Lincoln for parents, called ‘Navigating the Path Ahead: Helping Your Autistic Child Thrive’.
- PAACT (Parents & Autistic Children Together) – A face-to-face post-diagnostic course in Lincoln for older children, called ‘Your Autism Superpowers’.
- soundLINCS - UpBEAT! New music-based groups for autistic adults – one group based in Gainsborough and a second in Spalding.
- soundLINCS - UpBEAT! New music sessions for autistic adults who attend other support groups.
- TaylorITEX CIC – A support group for autistic adults, recently established to offer weekly support and activity sessions in Boston.
- Rainbow Stars Disability Group – A drumming project offering sessions in Sleaford.
- Rainbow Stars Disability Group – Twice weekly sessions in Sleaford called ‘Grow it, Cook it, Eat it!’ for autistic adults, which will include vegetable growing at a community allotment, cooking and eating lunch together.
- Umbrellas - A Lincoln-based youth club offering term-time weekly activity sessions for older children and young people.
- Umbrellas – Weekly sessions helping with schoolwork, run by teacher-trained volunteer parents in Lincoln. These will include some holiday sessions.
Victoria Potterton, Project and Development Manager at soundLINCS said: “We’re delighted to be the proud recipients of two grants from the Virtual Autism Hub.
“soundLINCS is a Lincolnshire-based community music charity who put people at the centre of everything we do.
“The funding will enable more autistic adults to explore music, offering music opportunities for groups to co-design and create programmes to learn, share, connect and perform with others.
“We will be offering fortnightly autism-led music sessions in Gainsborough and Spalding, working in partnership with existing support to enable more autistic adults to explore the benefits of music.
“Alongside these regular groups we will be working with autism groups across Lincolnshire to offer music sessions to share our passion for music and its benefits in supporting healthy, happy individuals and communities.”
Registrations are now open for the next wave of funding, with both established and newly-formed volunteer-led groups welcome to apply. The deadline for registering interest is 5pm on Friday 27 September 2024.
To find out more about the service, current funding opportunities and details of the groups who have already received grant funding, please visit www.lpft.nhs.uk/virtual-autism-hub.
