I am running the Stirling marathon 2019 to raise funds for the specialist Autism Spectrum Disorder unit that my sister teaches at in Camelon.

The unit opened in August 2018 to provde full time education to 6 children with ASD. The boys have settled in well thanks to the hard work of all the staff. However, funding is extremely tight and the outdoor space is much in need of development, in order to fully meet the childrens’ sensory needs. In August 2019 the number of children using the unit will double. As we are all aware there have been major cuts in funding across schools within Falkirk council, hence the need for fundraising efforts.

Last year I ran the Stirling marathon and fundraised for the Glasgow Childrens’ Hospital. I wasn’t originally intending to fundraise this time around, however when my sister suggested i fundraise for her kids at the ASD unit I could not say no. I have been a support worker for the past 14 years and throughout my career have supported several adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. When these adults were children they did not have access to a specialist unit to meet their educational needs, there used to be no such resources. I definitely seen the consequences of the people I supported with ASD often feeling totally excluded from society, and the detrimental effects this had on their mental health and quality of life. This matter is therefore very close to my heart and it gives me hope that there is now more support and opportunities in place for children with ASD. However, funding is still sadly lacking (as it is across the board in all sectors).

I would love to try ro assist the ASD unit to reach their full potential by helping to fundraise for them. Thankyou for taking the time to read this and I greatly appreciate any support you can give.