Stevenage’s Bar & Beyond has donated almost £5,000 to its chosen charity, TRACKS Autism.

The bar - based in the Leisure Park - nominated the Stevenage-based charity to receive the money for its specialist early years centre, where children can learn, play and explore safely, to help them achieve their potential.

Bar & Beyond's general manager John Mason said: "The donation is from our company's Echo Trust charity, set up to give something back to our local community.

"Our customers are always generous when we hold regular collections for the Echo Trust. We wanted this TRACKS Autism to benefit because of its support for children and their families."

Principal of TRACKS Autism Jane Wagstaff-Smith said: "We are so grateful to Bar & Beyond for putting us forward for a grant to help the children and families we support.

"Children with autism often struggle to communicate and understand social situations.

"A huge part of our sessions are based around advice from speech and language therapists and occupational therapists to help us to meet and develop each child's individual communication and sensory needs.

To find out more about TRACKS Autism, go to tracks-autism.org.uk.