A children’s autism charity held their first autism- friendly Christmas grotto in Stevenage last weekend.
Tracks Autism, based in Stevenage, is a specialist early years centre for children with an autistic spectrum condition.
On the day, the sensory room at Tracks was transformed into a relaxed grotto which was minimalistic with low level stimulants and welcoming for children with autism – much like the rest of the charity centre.
For many children with autism meeting Santa can be an overwhelming experience with bright lights, loud noises and lots of unexpected surprises. The charity worked hard to reduce these and, most importantly, there were no queues on the day which can often cause distress.
The event also raised a brilliant £1,150 for Tracks through ticket sales, a toy tombola and sponsorship from two main sponsors – Stevenage-based companies Driver Require and Certs Assured Ltd. Donations of decorations and other equipment from LV= and Wilko in Stevenage were also gratefully received.
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