All Things Autism – Autism Hero Awards Special.mp3
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Speaker 3
00:01 – 00:10
Hello, everyone. It’s Anna Kennedy at Women’s Radio Station, voice of Women Worldwide, talking all things autism. And my guest today is Crystal Burgess. Hello, Crystal.

Speaker 3
00:10 – 00:15
Hello, Anna. How are you? I’m very well, thank you. So I’m just going to talk a little bit about what I’ve been doing.

Speaker 3
00:15 – 00:23
So we’re just back from the Autism Hero Awards. What a night. It was absolutely amazing. I’m absolutely shattered, but it was amazing.

Speaker 3
00:24 – 00:45
We had 12 finalists and two special recognition awards. So there will be a separate show talking about the Autism Hero Awards where the lovely Natalie came along and interviewed some of our finalists. So we’ll be talking about that now. And the charity is preparing for our next Autism’s Got Talent Roadshow, which is going to be at New Brighton, which is the Floral Theatre.

Speaker 3
00:45 – 01:01
So we’re so excited. That’s going to be on November the 23rd. We’re going to have 20 performers from across the country performing on the night, so we’re so excited about that. And one other thing I’m really excited about is I’m going to be dancing again with Robin Windsor, my People Strictly partner.

Speaker 3
01:01 – 01:19
Our very first show is going to be tomorrow and I’m so excited but nervous at the same time. So that’s four shows I’m going to be doing. So it’s going to be at Potter’s Bar, Braintree, Peterborough and my hometown of Middlesbrough. And the very last one, which is called The Last Dance, is going to be at November the 25th at the Novello Theatre.

Speaker 3
01:20 – 01:33
So if you can get some tickets to come to Novello, we’ve got so many stars coming along that night and it’s going to be so emotional because it’ll be the last night that Robin’s going to be dancing. OK, so over to you now, Crystal. So we’ve known each other how long? a couple of years now.

Speaker 3
01:33 – 01:56
Yeah a couple of years and we know each other because of the famous Autism’s Got Talent and your lovely son Liam. He’s such a lovely young man and I remember him doing his audition on the YouTube link and then rehearsal and then during the performance he just shone. You could just see he came off I remember with a big beaming smile. So tell me a little bit about you Crystal and about your lovely four children.

Speaker 18
01:56 – 02:18
So I’ve got four children, four boys and my eldest Liam, he’s 18. He was first diagnosed when he was seven with ADHD and Asperger’s and then later with dyslexia and dyspraxia. So how long did you have to wait for his assessment and the diagnosis?

Speaker 3
02:18 – 02:19
Was it a long time?

Speaker 18
02:19 – 02:35
It all in all took about a year and a half and then the dyslexia diagnosis came a lot later when he was at secondary school. So yeah, he’s got the support he needs now and he’s doing really well.

Speaker 3
02:35 – 02:42
Yeah, he seems like a happy young man. I saw him again, you know, because he was a finalist at the Autism Hero Awards. He was. So yeah, he’s doing really, really well.

Speaker 3
02:42 – 02:45
I can see him like blossoming into a lovely young man.

Speaker 18
02:45 – 02:57
He’s now at full-time performing arts college as well. A passion of his? Very much a passion. And then I have Joshua who is 12.

Speaker 18
02:58 – 03:14
He also has sensory processing and he has another condition, genetic condition called retinitis pigmentosa. So what does that mean? It means that he is progressively losing his sight and he also has hearing loss as well. So when did that start?

Speaker 18
03:14 – 03:24
We noticed about six months ago. Okay. And he was diagnosed about six months ago. Okay.

Speaker 18
03:24 – 03:36
And he’s already lost most of his peripheral vision. Okay. And we are awaiting tests because they believe that his hearing loss will be progressive as well. Okay.

Speaker 18
03:36 – 03:44
and my eight-year-old son Sebastian also has the same condition as well as having ADHD.

Speaker 3
03:45 – 03:51
Right, so that’s really tough for you as a family obviously. So did you have to have genetic testing for that for people who were listening?

Speaker 18
03:51 – 03:59
We did, yes. We’ve had genetic testing at Great Ormond Street and we’re under their care. They are absolutely wonderful with the children.

Speaker 3
03:59 – 04:03
Oh, that’s good to hear that they’re getting the support. And then your fourth child?

Speaker 18
04:03 – 04:29
Oliver, he’s six, and two weeks ago we got his full diagnosis, which is ASD, autism, and extreme anxiety, oppositional defiance behaviours, and short attention span. Right, so you’ve definitely got your work cut out for you at home. We have, yes. So how do the boys get along together?

Speaker 18
04:30 – 04:31
As brothers do.

Speaker 3
04:32 – 04:35
So some days good, some days not so good. Yes.

Speaker 18
04:35 – 04:38
Okay. So how about you? How do you cope? Do you work?

Speaker 18
04:38 – 05:05
I don’t work. I had to give up my job a year and a half ago when Sebastian, my eight-year-old, was first being diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa and Oliver, my youngest, has really struggled at school. He started being excluded from school so I had to leave my job where I was working one-to-one with a autistic child in a preschool.

Speaker 3
05:07 – 05:19
So that’s obviously difficult for you because it sounds like you don’t have a lot of you time? No, not at all. Full-time carer. So, right, so let’s talk about education assessment.

Speaker 3
05:19 – 05:35
So can you talk about some of the difficulties for parents that might, the children might have just got a diagnosis of autism or ADHD. So what’s the system been like for you? And if there’s any pitfalls, are there any advice that you can give to parents? The system’s a maze.

Speaker 18
05:36 – 05:54
I’d advise anyone starting to go through the process just to seek advice, talk to other parents, do as much research as you can because you have to know the processes to be able to navigate through it well enough so your child gets the correct support.

Speaker 3
05:54 – 06:08
Yeah, it’s all the systems, the acronyms, everything you’ve got to learn. It’s almost like you’re learning a different language, don’t you think? Yes. And it’s, again, you have to fight, don’t you really, to speak up for your sons and daughters, because if you don’t, no one else is going to do it for you.

Speaker 3
06:09 – 06:23
And I would say definitely what you’re saying is seek support, get someone on your side. Because what I find is that when I’m speaking about my own sons, You’re too emotionally involved and I wouldn’t say you’re as good as when you’re advocating for somebody else. So would you agree with that?

Speaker 18
06:23 – 06:42
I do agree. It’s taken years of going through the systems to be able to detach myself from the emotional side and concentrate on what they need and fighting for them. So you’ve become a mini expert, if you like, on your sons, for each of them. I’ve tried, yeah.

Speaker 3
06:42 – 06:58
You get mixed up sometimes when you go into reviews and thinking, right, who am I talking about now? I do, yeah. So how do you think the system could be made easier? I know this is a tough one but what in your opinion would you say would make it easier for you as a parent?

Speaker 18
06:59 – 07:22
The wait times are horrendous as we all know and a lot of clarity because I think it’s very confusing and they try and confuse you I think a lot of the time. If you’re not aware of and you don’t research, then you get lost in the processes.

Speaker 3
07:22 – 07:31
Right, okay. So what are you trying to do? I understand you’re training as an ollie coach, so what does that mean and what does it entail?

Speaker 18
07:32 – 08:05
I took the decision to train as an Ollie coach, which is Ollie and his superpowers, and it’s a new model of therapy, specifically for children, although it works for adolescents and adults as well. I decided to do that when I had to leave work because the wait times for getting therapy on the NHS were so horrendous. And it’s very expensive if you try and get it privately. We tried to pay privately, but the bills were so much, so it actually worked out quicker and cheaper to train myself.

Speaker 18
08:06 – 08:24
And it’s something that I thought I could work around my own children and it’s an absolutely fantastic model. It’s very much play-based. We found it’s fully adaptable for any need. You can use parts of it.

Speaker 18
08:24 – 08:39
You have a toolbox and you go to the toolbox and you can take elements and make it work for any child or adult. So what is Ollie? What is it? It’s a type of therapy.

Speaker 3
08:39 – 08:49
But is it, because I’ve seen the doll and I’ve seen the different figures and the different things that this doll can do, so is it a rag doll would you call it?

Speaker 18
08:49 – 09:20
They have a doll, yeah, to represent Ollie. And Ali Knowles, who created Ollie, has written books, so it teaches the essence of Ollie through the stories. But the main thing is we go into schools or work with children one-to-one and really just try and empower them to use their own superpowers, which are emotions or parts, to be able to help themselves. So if someone’s interested in looking at the website, what’s the website address?

Speaker 18
09:21 – 09:23
It’s Ollie and His Superpowers.

Speaker 3
09:23 – 09:35
There’s a Facebook page and a Twitter page. So if you type in on Google as well, Ollie and His Superpowers, it should pop up and you can look for a little bit more information and then if you’re interested you can make contact.

Speaker 18
09:36 – 09:45
Ollie coaches will come out to schools or just to do workshops, meet parents. They’re just doing some things with midwives at the moment as well. All right, then.

Speaker 3
09:46 – 09:55
So for your children, so let’s talk about Liam. So why did he go into the performing arts? Can you tell me a little bit about when he started singing? Because he’s obviously got an amazing voice.

Speaker 3
09:55 – 10:04
And I went to see him at the National Army Museum when he was acting as well as singing. So when did he start that and why?

Speaker 18
10:04 – 10:43
He started out by singing. He found that he just loved to sing, always singing, when he was permanently excluded from school when he was eight years old because he couldn’t cope in the mainstream school. And we were finding things to fill his time that he could do and he started singing so we got him lessons and he just found that he could engage with it, he could show his emotions through singing where he couldn’t verbalize it in any other way. And after he started singing, he then found that he loved dancing as well.

Speaker 18
10:44 – 10:52
He started dance lessons at Stage Strike Academy, which is our local dance school, and then he started musical theatre.

Speaker 3
10:53 – 11:03
I was just going to ask, so at the dance school, did they make any reasonable adjustments for him? What is it that he finds difficult there, would you say? He found

Speaker 18
11:02 – 11:14
the socializing the most difficult to start with, but everybody was so welcoming with him that he just became part of the family there.

Speaker 3
11:15 – 11:31
Okay. I remember Patrick I took him to stagecoach, he was about nine or ten years old, and he loved the acting, but he hated the singing and the dancing. But they said he had to do all three. So he then left, which was a shame because they could have let him just do the acting side of it.

Speaker 3
11:31 – 11:43
But he was quite upset about that. And again, he found the social interaction, the banter between the children, all of that very, very stressful. So we’ll talk a little bit more about performing arts. We’ll talk about Autumn’s Got Talent.

Speaker 3
11:43 – 11:58
We’ve got the build up for next year. And just maybe if you could talk about what happens behind stage, the friendships that have been made. So we’re here at Women’s Radio Station, Voice of Women Worldwide, and we’re talking all things autism.

Speaker 14
12:02 – 12:23
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Speaker 3
14:58 – 15:06
And we’re back at Women’s Radio Station, Voice of Women Worldwide, and it’s Anna Kennedy talking all things autism. And my guest today is Crystal Burgess. Welcome back, Crystal.

Speaker 18
15:06 – 15:07
Hello, Anna.

Speaker 3
15:07 – 15:13
We’re talking about Liam and his love of performing arts. What about your other three boys? What do they like to do?

Speaker 18
15:13 – 15:22
So Joshua and Sebastian also love to sing and dance. The house is always full of music. So never boring then? It’s never boring, no.

Speaker 18
15:24 – 15:31
Joshua is actually with an agency. He does acting as well. He’s done some TV commercials.

Speaker 3
15:31 – 15:43
So how has he found that then? Because obviously it’s something new every time he goes and there isn’t a lot of structure. So do you find that he fits into there well or do you have to prepare him? How does that work?

Speaker 18
15:44 – 16:09
It’s a struggle, it’s a challenge, but he takes it and he absolutely does amazingly well at it. He’s very adaptable. And like Liam, when he’s performing, he becomes this other person. It gives them this outlet to express themselves where I think because they’re becoming somebody else.

Speaker 3
16:10 – 16:39
Yeah I remember when I was, I started tap dancing I was very very quiet because I was an only child and I started tap dancing and I remembered I liked the way it made me feel and I didn’t have to be myself if you like and people used to say that when they used to meet me and then saw me dancing on stage that I was a completely different person they didn’t think that that was me they said where did that come from so I suppose it’s a little bit like Very much like that. Yeah, so it’s like they don’t have to be themselves. They can just totally engross themselves.

Speaker 3
16:39 – 16:51
Go into a different world. Yeah, and enjoy what they’re doing. Yeah, it’s, I think it, that’s why it became a passion of mine because I just loved it so much. I loved all the different rhythms and, you know, fitting tap steps into different things.

Speaker 3
16:52 – 16:54
So what about your other sons?

Speaker 18
16:54 – 17:03
What do they like to do? Sebastian loves dancing as well. What kind of dancing? They all do modern tap and ballet, which is quite unusual.

Speaker 3
17:03 – 17:05
Ballet was not my favourite.

Speaker 18
17:05 – 17:23
It’s quite unusual for the boys and having three that all do ballet in one house is quite unusual. They all love it. He loves singing as well. He wants to be Princess Elsa.

Speaker 18
17:23 – 17:38
His main goal in life. And then Oliver, my youngest, he’s the odd one out. He’s not a dancer at all. He actually gets quite sensory overload with the dancing and the singing and the music.

Speaker 18
17:38 – 17:44
So what does he do to relax? He’s an outside person. Loves the garden. Anything physical.

Speaker 18
17:45 – 17:46
Climbing.

Speaker 3
17:46 – 17:48
Good stress buster as well, isn’t it?

Speaker 18
17:48 – 17:55
Yeah, yeah. So when you were younger, were you into performing arts out of interest? Not really. No, I was more behind the scenes.

Speaker 18
17:56 – 18:05
I actually trained as a makeup artist many years ago. That’s something good to know. Special effects, particularly theatre.

Speaker 3
18:05 – 18:12
But yeah, always offstage. And I hear that you’ve just started to attend a choir practice.

Speaker 18
18:12 – 18:26
I have. There’s a feel-good choir that a friend of mine’s just set up. Okay. And it’s just a place where mums, dads, whoever can go along and it doesn’t matter about your singing ability.

Speaker 18
18:27 – 18:33
It’s all about just going and having fun and enjoying that

Speaker 3
18:33 – 18:56
that thing of singing and… Yeah, I think the thing is with us, we’re so focused on our boys, getting the right support for them, and then, you know, as I’ve spoken before, that when I set up the school, like, for ten years, I didn’t dance, and I felt like my arm had been chopped off, but it was because I felt guilty about leaving my boys. So then that’s when I started tap dancing again and I just felt like a new lease of life, almost like someone had plugged me in and recharged me.

Speaker 3
18:57 – 19:08
So I’m so glad that I’ve got dance back in my life. And I think it’s good for you as you get older as well. Helps you with your posture, helps you with your flexibility, social skills. I just think everyone should learn to dance.

Speaker 3
19:09 – 19:13
I just think it’s such a great tool if you like to use within your life as well.

Speaker 18
19:14 – 19:20
I think just having that chance for an hour, hour and a half out just for you for whatever you want to do.

Speaker 3
19:20 – 19:22
Yeah, I call it the autism free zone.

Speaker 18
19:23 – 19:27
Yeah, it does make a huge difference for the rest of the week.

Speaker 3
19:27 – 19:41
Yeah, so for mums and dads listening, if you can get some time out, whether it’s 5 minutes, 10 minutes, an hour, going for a coffee, going in the bathroom, lighting a candle, having a glass of wine, whatever it is, whatever rocks your boat, just have that time out.

Speaker 18
19:41 – 19:42
Just take it and don’t feel guilty about it.

Speaker 3
19:42 – 19:53
Yeah, no, but I did feel guilty, I do remember that. What about sleep issues? Because I’m feeling really tired today because Angelo didn’t go to bed till three o’clock this morning. So with four boys, how’s that for you?

Speaker 18
19:54 – 20:08
Not a lot of sleep. Like most parents of children with autism and additional needs, sleep is one of the biggest issues, isn’t it? It’s difficult. They all have their own sleep patterns.

Speaker 18
20:08 – 20:18
They all wake at different times, need different amounts of sleep. So bedtimes, especially the getting them off to sleep.

Speaker 3
20:18 – 20:25
Yeah, that’s the hardest part. A challenge. Yeah, I’ve tried everything. I’ve tried everything, but it’s just like, it’s 25.

Speaker 3
20:25 – 20:39
I’m sorry to say. But he still has an erratic sleep pattern. I actually said to my husband last night, I’d love to be able to go to bed like at half 10, 11 o’clock and wake up at 7, 8 o’clock in the morning. I’ve never experienced that for like 25 years.

Speaker 3
20:40 – 20:50
Well, 28 years actually, because Patrick’s 28, because he was a poor sleeper as well until he was about eight. So yeah, I don’t know how we keep going, but we do. Your body adapts somehow. I think so, yeah.

Speaker 3
20:50 – 21:08
Okay, so let’s talk a little bit about school processes again because obviously that’s the difficult side for us mums to try and get the best support for our children. So, EHCP? Yeah, so we’re going through the process at the moment. Okay, so what does that stand for?

Speaker 18
21:08 – 21:27
It’s the Educational Health Care Plan. So it’s the step up from the one planning which If the child needs extra support and funding that’s beyond the finances of the school that they already get, then you apply for the EHCP.

Speaker 3
21:28 – 21:35
It’s quite a lengthy process. It is, and it’s quite daunting, isn’t it? It is, yeah. And also education, health.

Speaker 3
21:35 – 21:42
and social services, social care, supposed to be working together. That’s the idea of it being joint. So what’s your experience of that?

Speaker 18
21:42 – 21:55
Bringing everyone together is difficult. Getting the different departments to talk to each other is a challenge. There’s meetings but you never get them all in the same room at the same time.

Speaker 3
21:57 – 22:10
What about the document itself? Because I remember the statement in process. So it was written sometimes in such a way that parents thought that they were going to get the support for their children. So say, for example, it said regular speech and language therapy.

Speaker 3
22:11 – 22:26
What actually does that mean? It needs to be specific and needs to be quantified. So with it being the educational health care plan now, would you say it was better than the statementing? Would you say it still needs to be specified and quantified?

Speaker 3
22:26 – 22:31
What’s your experience? Obviously, you’ve been through it now with three, four of your boys.

Speaker 18
22:31 – 22:43
I’ve went through it with my oldest when it was the statements and now going through again with the HCP. So what’s the difference between the two? What have you found? There hasn’t been a massive amount of difference.

Speaker 18
22:43 – 22:56
I think the process is still very much the same. It hasn’t really changed at all. still challenging, it’s still a maze to find your way through.

Speaker 3
22:56 – 23:06
It is a maze to navigate the system and also you’re supposed to be able to trust the local authority and what I’ve spoke to quite a few parents that’s not how it work sometimes?

Speaker 18
23:06 – 23:21
No, as I said before, unless you know the processes, you get lost in them. You definitely have to know what your rights are and what the process is, otherwise you won’t get the outcome that you want for your child.

Speaker 3
23:22 – 23:34
So the schools where your sons have been at, would you say they’ve been supportive? They’ve had autism training, so obviously you’ve got four boys, so you’ve had four different experiences, so what would you say?

Speaker 18
23:34 – 24:05
My eldest eventually got into a special needs school and it was fantastic. I can’t fault the care that they gave him. Then my other three have gone to a primary school that have actually been really unsupportive. It’s delayed the processes massively because they haven’t supported us in the application for the EHCP or the diagnosis process.

Speaker 3
24:05 – 24:12
So why do you think that they haven’t been supportive? What is it? Do you think it’s to do with funding? What do you think?

Speaker 18
24:13 – 24:30
Initially, I think that they were very confused about Oliver’s needs. Because he’s quite complex, his combination of needs, as some will have heard the word PDA, makes the PDA diagnosis.

Speaker 3
24:30 – 24:33
So what is PDA for listeners who’ve never heard of it before?

Speaker 18
24:33 – 24:41
Pathological Demand Avoidance, which is a relatively newly recognized form of autism.

Speaker 3
24:41 – 24:59
Because I know they’re fighting to get it recognised as being on the autistic spectrum because I’ve been to support the PDA when we went to the Department of Health and took a, I can’t remember how many signatures now, but okay, so yeah, so you definitely would say that it was on the autism spectrum, having three boys?

Speaker 18
24:59 – 25:41
Yeah, definitely. It’s not recognised as a diagnosis form, so at the moment you have to have a combination of ASD with some other traits. It’s a different type of autism in that you have to use very different strategies to help and support the child. And that’s where I think we’ve had the problems with the school because they’ve been putting strategies in place that are either for autism or for ADHD.

Speaker 3
25:41 – 26:03
I just think within, with a little bit of defence of the school, you’ve got to think as well, they’ve got 36, 40 kids in the class. And you’ve got children obviously who are mainstream, you’ve got children who are dyslexic, children who’ve got dyspraxia, children who’ve got overlapping conditions, autism, PDA. It obviously is tough for them to have the support for all of those children. But yeah, I just think we’ve still got a long way to go.

Speaker 18
26:04 – 26:16
We have, yeah. And some children, however much support that they get will still need a specialist setting. I think we need to have a separate programme on PDA and I think I’m going to be doing that in the very near future.

Speaker 3
26:16 – 26:39
So I’d like to say thank you very much, Crystal. We could have talked so much more about your wonderful boys, but you’re doing a great job and I’d just like to say thanks for the support that you’ve given to the charity. And I’m looking forward to seeing how Liam progresses after going to performing arts school. So I’d like to say this is Women’s Radio Station and we’re at the Voice of Women Worldwide and we’re talking all things autism.

Speaker 3
26:40 – 26:56
And if you are a parent that’s really struggling, please check out our charity website. It’s www.annakennedyonline.com. And we’re here at Women’s Radio Station. This is Anna Kennedy talking all things autism, Voice of Women Worldwide.

Speaker 14
26:58 – 27:19
Women’s Rage Station is looking forward to a great 2019 with more shows coming your way. All the presenters and the team behind each program would like to say a big thank you for listening. We are the voice of women worldwide and we cannot be without you. The journey has just begun with more exciting programs soon to be revealed.

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27:20 – 27:23
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28:29 – 28:50
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Speaker 1
28:51 – 28:57
To find out more, head to womensradiostation.com or theaidproject.co.uk.

Speaker 10
28:59 – 29:18
Let me tell you about German Street Theatre. This is a secret theatre in the heart of the West End, once found, never forgotten. This is where careers ignite, where playwrights take risks, where great actors perform just feet away from the audience. This is where magic happens.

Speaker 10
29:19 – 29:48
We would love you to join our mailing list or become a sponsor or just buy a ticket to one of our shows. The website is www.germanstreettheatre.co.uk Women’s Radio Station is a not-for-profit community interest company. Supporting women is our passion. We’re currently welcoming donations to help towards our running costs to keep this important initiative alive.

Speaker 10
29:49 – 29:54
To donate, simply head to our website. Every little will help.

Speaker 3
29:56 – 30:08
Welcome back to the All Things Autism special about the Autism Hero Awards. Women’s radio station reporter Natalie was with us and spoke to some of the attendees. Here’s her chat with winner Toby G, MBE.

Speaker 17
30:09 – 30:18
Hello, I am here at the Autism Hero Awards with Toby G. MBE. He threw in the MBE there just at me. He insisted I say it.

Speaker 17
30:18 – 30:24
And Ollie. And would you just like to let our listeners know why you’re here this evening?

Speaker 11
30:24 – 30:39
I’m here this evening as a business company. I’ve been nominated for the work that we do with young people for autism. And all kind of going right across the board, the people I work with. And we’ve been nominated for a fantastic outstanding work.

Speaker 17
30:39 – 30:41
Just nominated?

Speaker 11
30:41 – 30:58
Yes and we just found out we won which is fantastic which is super super crazy because you know when you do your job and you love what you do you kind of sometimes just put your head down you get on with the work because you love what you do so much and then to realize you’re being noticed by others and recognized for your work I think it’s just incredible.

Speaker 17
30:59 – 31:01
Why do you think evenings like tonight are so important?

Speaker 11
31:02 – 31:23
I think it’s really important because it just gives the extra support to the community groups, to the people, to the companies that are working really hard, that are dedicating their time, their love and their passion into this, making a difference, making a change and encouraging others to do so. I think it’s important to say to them, you know what, we see you, we recognize you, thank you for your contribution. Thank you for your hard, dedicated work.

Speaker 17
31:23 – 31:28
And was there a pinnacle moment that drove you towards this kind of work? Was there an impetus?

Speaker 11
31:29 – 31:40
I think with me, it’s more kind of a need. I always work on needs. So if I meet somebody, they need something, we’ll work with that need and we work on it. And I think due to the kind of work and how I work, it’s really accessible to everybody.

Speaker 11
31:41 – 31:55
And I think that need kind of came, especially working with Ollie, that need really came and we started working more on it. And I started training more, learning more, and just educating myself as much as I could to understand and try to open the doors to as many as we could.

Speaker 17
31:56 – 32:10
So Ollie, why do you love evenings like tonight? Why did you come?

Speaker 2
32:11 – 32:40
I did a hip hop piece and it was about bullying and that and it took me about how long was it? 3 months 3 months and it was like it was so hard but after I did that 3 months I progressed through but it was like it was challenging but at the same time I knew what I was doing but

Speaker 17
32:41 – 32:55
There’s something about commitment and having to do something for a long time that gives you a nice big reward at the end. If you had anything to say to the autistic community, what advice would you give them?

Speaker 11
32:56 – 33:23
One thing I would like to say to everybody who will be listening to this is stand together. actually support one another because that really encourages the whole goal, the whole mission, the whole future of our children because that’s what it really comes down to is the future of our children because like tonight hearing this amazing story of a man being diagnosed at the age of 24 I mean that’s really late and he went through all his schooling and everything and he felt like he failed And then suddenly he discovered himself. He discovered his genius.

Speaker 11
33:23 – 33:40
That’s what we call discovering your genius. And suddenly he’s a big businessman doing really great because he’s discovered what you love to do. And it’s a shame that a lot of young children have to go through that struggle and that misunderstanding. So I think the more we are together and the more we communicate, the more we stand together.

Speaker 11
33:41 – 33:52
And if someone’s doing something, let’s all get involved. Let’s all support because the more we do that, the greater we will be and the greater understanding the whole world will have. when it comes to autism. But only when we stand together, not when we stand on our own.

Speaker 17
33:52 – 33:56
And if you had something to say to Anna Kennedy, what would you say?

Speaker 11
33:57 – 34:05
She’s lovely. She’s fantastic. She’s got great personality. I mean, everyone else out on the table, they’ve just kept on saying, oh, she’s just so lovely.

Speaker 11
34:05 – 34:16
And she truly is. And I think I admire her for putting this together and working so hard as she does. And for standing up, for standing up and doing something great. So I just want to say well done to her.

Speaker 17
34:16 – 34:21
Thank you so much for joining me. Thank you, Ollie. And I’ll speak to you soon. Go enjoy the party.

Speaker 3
34:23 – 34:35
Thank you. We had a wide range of awards from Community Hero to Best Sibling meant to amplify autism heroes and understanding. Natalie also spoke to mum, Deborah Tonkiss, who nominated her daughter for an award.

Speaker 17
34:36 – 34:42
Hello, I’m here at the Autism Hero Awards with Deborah Tonkiss. Would you like to let our listeners know why you’re here this evening?

Speaker 7
34:43 – 34:52
I’m here because I nominated my daughter Catherine Tonkiss for the Creative Arts and Media Award. And was she successful? She was! She actually won it!

Speaker 7
34:52 – 34:57
I’m so thrilled, I can’t tell you how pleased I am for her.

Speaker 17
34:57 – 34:59
Why did you make the nomination?

Speaker 7
35:00 – 35:30
I made the nomination because animation and wanting to work in the field of animation has been Catherine’s dream and ambition since she was about five or six years old. She loves film, she loves animated film, she’s got an encyclopedic knowledge of Disney and Pixar and it’s just something that I just happened to catch Anna Kennedy’s online autism website and I just saw the Autism Awards and I just thought it’d be something nice for Catherine, something that’s an achievement for her.

Speaker 17
35:31 – 35:34
So was this the first time you’ve come across Anna Kennedy and what she does?

Speaker 7
35:34 – 36:07
Yes, something across it online and seeing the Autism Hero Awards. And how do you feel now you’re here? It’s amazing, it’s really lovely, it’s so nice to see something that champions autistic people because autistic people have so many talents and they do have so much to offer and I think sometimes that gets overlooked but hopefully now it’s becoming more mainstream and people are becoming more accepting and more appreciative of what autistic people actually can do and can achieve.

Speaker 17
36:07 – 36:13
Did you struggle when you received the diagnosis?

Speaker 7
36:13 – 36:36
Yes, it was hard. I was seven weeks pregnant with Catherine’s brother when she got the diagnosis of autism and I always said if I’d have got the diagnosis seven weeks earlier he wouldn’t have been here because I wouldn’t have taken the risk to have another child with autism but it didn’t work out that way and I’m glad I did. And she’s just amazing.

Speaker 7
36:36 – 36:55
My friends that have autistic children, we always say, you’re a member of a club that nobody wants to belong to really, but the people that you meet and the people that have autistic children and the parents and the strength they show and everything, their hopes and ambitions for their children, it’s wonderful.

Speaker 17
36:56 – 36:59
How important do you think evenings like this are?

Speaker 7
36:59 – 37:19
I think they are very important because they raise awareness of the condition and it’s just nice to show people that autism is not something to be shied away from or frightened of, it’s really something that should be celebrated. Their brain is wired differently, that’s how the paediatrician explained it to us when he diagnosed Catherine.

Speaker 17
37:20 – 37:31
Do you have a piece of advice that you would give to anybody who may either be on the receiving end of a diagnosis or have children that have diagnosed?

Speaker 7
37:32 – 37:56
When Catherine was diagnosed we were told that she may not be able to attend mainstream school. and they couldn’t say really what the future would hold for her but she’s been through mainstream school all the way, she’s done two years at college and now she’s just started a degree in digital animation. So I would say as a parent you know your child and you can determine and you can help them achieve what they want to achieve.

Speaker 17
37:57 – 37:58
Thank you so much for talking to me.

Speaker 7
37:58 – 38:00
You’re welcome, thank you.

Speaker 3
38:01 – 38:14
Why we love these awards is how the autism community get together. We had guests flying in from Los Angeles, from Canada and from France. Natalie spoke to winner Sarah Yassini who flew in from Canada to join us.

Speaker 17
38:14 – 38:27
Hello, I’m here at the Autism Awards, Autism Hero Awards with Sarah Yassini, the winner of Sibling of the Year. How are you feeling? Very good, actually. Very excited to win this award.

Speaker 17
38:27 – 38:32
And just tell everyone a little bit about why and how you came to be here this evening.

Speaker 13
38:32 – 38:52
So I’m from Canada. I flew seven hours here. I came here because I wanted people to know why I won this award and how much I’ve helped my brother succeed in his life. I’ve helped my brother with many things throughout his life, even when my mom got operation and I’ve helped him with everything.

Speaker 13
38:54 – 39:02
I even wrote a book about him. It’s called Autism from a Sibling and Parent’s Perspective, which will be released during December this year. Buy it.

Speaker 17
39:03 – 39:15
Buy it. This is not a plug. I didn’t do this for a plug, but we buy it anyway because it sounds very, very important. Was it really hard for you growing up with a sibling with autism?

Speaker 13
39:15 – 39:21
Yes, it was. When he got bullied, I was confused on why he got bullied. Because to me, he was normal. He was a normal human being.

Speaker 13
39:22 – 39:39
When he got bullied, I, of course, got angry. And I confronted the people who were bullying him. And I’ve struggled with many things throughout my life with my sibling, but I still love him deeply throughout my heart. And how important do you think evenings like tonight are?

Speaker 13
39:39 – 39:49
It’s very important because these people have experienced autism and how difficult it is throughout their life. It’s very important to acknowledge them and how they succeeded in their careers.

Speaker 17
39:50 – 39:57
Do you wish you had had more knowledge about autism before experiencing it with your brother?

Speaker 13
39:58 – 40:19
Actually, no, because if you had knowledge, then you wouldn’t know how difficult it is and how to help your siblings. But if you don’t have knowledge, then you experience more things and you can help others that have the same experiences as you. And tell us just a little bit about you. What do you do?

Speaker 13
40:20 – 40:32
So my name is Sairia Asini. I’m 15 years old and I’m from Toronto, Canada. I’m a student in White Oak Secondary School. My passion is political science and hoping to go to McMaster University.

Speaker 13
40:33 – 40:38
And what is your lifetime aim? Is it to be an author? Author and working in the government officials.

Speaker 17
40:40 – 40:43
What would you like to affect change doing?

Speaker 13
40:44 – 41:02
I’d like to affect change for people who don’t experience autism, for autistic people. I want them to know that they’re human beings and not to make fun of them and to actually help them and make a change in the world. And if you could say anything to Anna Kennedy, what would you say? You are an amazing woman, Anna.

Speaker 13
41:02 – 41:12
You have helped many people with autism. I wish you a long life helping people and you are the best. Thank you so much for talking to me. Thank you very much for having me.

Speaker 3
41:13 – 41:27
One of the new categories at the Autism Hero Awards was the Autism Charity Supporter of the Year, and it went to Adriana Owen, which is one of our fantastic volunteers. She walked 100 miles for the charity. She’s done all sorts. She’s been here, there, and everywhere.

Speaker 3
41:28 – 41:41
She’s a great supporter of the charity, and she also has two young men on the autism spectrum. We had a silent auction, and I was so pleased that my son painting Angelo’s caterpillar, got £70. Yay! Well done, Angelo.

Speaker 3
41:41 – 42:00
We actually raised £2,500 on the evening that was going to the charity. So we were so proud. All my volunteers were so supportive and we were scurrying around in the background trying to make sure everything went really, really well. So we’re going to be back after the break with more interviews from the Autism Hero Awards.

Speaker 14
42:03 – 42:25
From all the presenters and the team behind Women’s Radio Station, thank you for listening. You’ve been the most amazing audience with your sparkling enthusiasm and support. So from our hearts we would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year full of joy and surprises.

Speaker 5
42:29 – 42:40
I’m Tamina Zaman, founder of Empower & Enrich. When it comes to money, do you clam up or get confused? Do you wish you could save more money, or are you hoping you have enough for retirement? You are not alone.

Speaker 5
42:41 – 42:59
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Speaker 8
42:59 – 43:16
Hi, my name is Michelle Bartlett, the founder of Live, Laugh, Love Ladies’ Club. We’re looking for ladies to link arms across the globe. This is a new vibrant brand connecting women socially. Our club members enjoy great food, fun and inspiring speakers while making friends of all generations.

Speaker 8
43:16 – 43:30
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Speaker 12
43:31 – 43:45
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Speaker 12
43:46 – 43:59
Whether you’re thinking of having a baby, trying to get out of an unhappy relationship or just unsure what benefits you may be entitled to, we can help. Visit turntous.org.uk

Speaker 10
44:01 – 44:20
Let me tell you about German Street Theatre. This is a secret theatre in the heart of the West End, once found, never forgotten. This is where careers ignite, where playwrights take risks, where great actors perform just feet away from the audience. This is where magic happens.

Speaker 10
44:21 – 44:51
We would love you to join our mailing list or become a sponsor or just buy a ticket to one of our shows. The website is www.germanstreettheatre.co.uk Women’s Radio Station is a not-for-profit community interest company. Supporting women is our passion. We’re currently welcoming donations to help towards our running costs to keep this important initiative alive.

Speaker 10
44:51 – 44:57
To donate, simply head to our website. Every little will help.

Speaker 3
44:59 – 45:13
Welcome back to our autism special. You may remember a couple of episodes ago, we had the formidable Paula McGowan, who was campaigning for a change in the law. Paula won, I’m pleased to say, the special recognition for her efforts. Here is the reaction.

Speaker 17
45:13 – 45:26
So I’m here with Paula McGowan, the incredible special achievement mentioned this evening at the Autism Hero Awards. And I can genuinely say she is a bit of a hero. Paula, how are you feeling?

Speaker 16
45:26 – 45:57
overwhelmed, inspired. I’m just so fortunate to have been here tonight, seeing all these hugely inspirational people coming up on that stage and the amount of work that they do for everybody. I’m not a hero, I’m just a mum doing the best that I can. We’re all heroes and we’re all standing together and we’re all wanting what’s best and that is the equal say for all people who have autism in our community.

Speaker 16
45:57 – 45:58
We’ve got to all stand together.

Speaker 17
46:01 – 46:12
You just said you’re not a hero. I completely, completely disagree. Can we let the listeners know that you’ve just managed to achieve a vote or a discussion in Parliament? When’s that going to be?

Speaker 16
46:12 – 46:27
Well, I can’t believe it. So I launched a petition because I became aware that most doctors and nurses do not ever receive any training in autism and or learning disabilities. That’s not OK. I can’t believe it.

Speaker 16
46:28 – 46:35
You know, it’s not fair. Well, patient safety, but also we must have concern for our doctors and nurses. It’s not fair. It’s not right.

Speaker 16
46:35 – 47:02
So I launched a petition. And we’ve got to 50,000 signatures and I had an email last week saying that it will be taken to Parliament on the 22nd of October and it will be debated. But what we need now is we need every MP to attend that. If they are passionate about the healthcare needs of people who have autism and those who have learning disabilities, they will be there.

Speaker 16
47:02 – 47:16
Because at the moment, like my child, people are dying prematurely and preventable deaths. They’re not ill. Nobody should die because they have an autistic or learning disability diagnosis.

Speaker 17
47:17 – 47:38
So you heard it. If you want your MP to attend this meeting, send them an email. You can send them an email, it’s on the 22nd, if you want them to attend the floor discussion, 4.30 on the 22nd, send them an email. You have your MP’s email, you can encourage them to be there, and by encouraging them to be there, you are helping the entire autistic community.

Speaker 17
47:39 – 47:42
Thanks so much for chatting to me, Paula. Thank you, thank you very much.

Speaker 3
47:42 – 47:49
Libby Hill won the Outstanding Community Hero Award, which was a really tight category. Natalie spoke to her straight after.

Speaker 17
47:49 – 47:56
Hello. So I’m here at the Autism Hero Awards with Outstanding Community winner Libby Hill. Hi. Hi.

Speaker 17
47:56 – 47:57
It’s great to be here.

Speaker 9
47:57 – 48:07
How are you feeling about your win? Well, I’m shocked and excited, to be honest, because I just came for the evening, really. I wasn’t expecting to win. So I feel honoured and humbled.

Speaker 9
48:08 – 48:27
And just tell our listeners just a little bit about why you were nominated and won. Well, I’m a speech and language therapist, but I tend to see children who are more complicated. So I see children, most of the children have ASD, but many have PDA. Some have selective mutism.

Speaker 9
48:28 – 48:39
So it’s very much a troubleshooting. What do we need to do to move on or get to the next step? So as part of that, I do lots of parental support. I do lots of free training.

Speaker 9
48:39 – 48:46
Just try to spread the word really to get the understanding better and it’s a huge job.

Speaker 17
48:47 – 48:52
And how important are evenings like this evening for what you do?

Speaker 9
48:53 – 49:15
They’re really important because they help spread the word. So I’ve been tweeting all night. and putting things on the Facebook page, because the more you can get the word out there, it’s things like this that get people thinking, you know, oh, I wonder what that means, I wonder what that’s about, and then they start to be a bit more open to it to begin with, that’s the first step.

Speaker 9
49:15 – 49:24
And that’s what we need, because we’re still early days, really, in people’s understanding of the barriers, or the potential barriers that are there for people with autism.

Speaker 17
49:25 – 49:46
I will be completely honest, I hadn’t heard the term PDA until this evening and a young woman I was sat next to explained it to me which was quite interesting but I think it’s like you say very important that very many people are talking about it and keeping the conversation going. Was there something that drew you to what you do? Was there an impetus for why you do what you do?

Speaker 9
49:46 – 49:58
Well, I’ve actually been a speech and language therapist for over 30 years. I think I’m in my 33rd year at the moment. And I’ve always been drawn to autism. It was fairly newly recognised really.

Speaker 9
49:58 – 50:17
It was a couple of years after the triad had been identified that I started work. And I worked in a clinic where I had this group of children who were different. They were non-verbal but they were bright and So I’ve always been interested and so most of my career I have specialised in working with children with autism.

Speaker 17
50:18 – 50:23
Would you give any specific advice to a parent who’s just received a diagnosis?

Speaker 9
50:24 – 50:50
Yes, I talk to a lot of parents of children with autism and I talk to a lot of adults with autism because I think that’s really how we learn as professionals if we’re neurotypical ourselves. We need to, you know, get out there and listen. And I think they need to see that it’s, Temple Brandon would say, different not less. And that is so, so true.

Speaker 9
50:50 – 50:58
So yes, it wasn’t what they were signing up for. But that doesn’t mean that it’s a death sentence. You know, it’s a different operating system. That’s all it is.

Speaker 9
50:59 – 51:01
And in some respects, theirs is better.

Speaker 17
51:03 – 51:14
Have you put a bid in on the silent auction? I haven’t, no. I’m a speech and language therapist, we don’t get paid that much. I’m eyeing up the Harry Potter thing, just saying.

Speaker 17
51:14 – 51:34
If anyone did win the Harry Potter thing at the Autism Awards when this goes out on air and wants to donate it to Natalie at Women’s Radio Station, please feel free. Do you see yourself in a different career ever or is this kind of your passion forever? No, it’s my passion forever. Like I said, I’ve done it for over 30 years, I’d like to do it for 30 more.

Speaker 17
51:36 – 51:43
This is my own personal question, it’s nothing to do with Women’s Radio Station, but do you have any words to describe Anna Kennedy?

Speaker 9
51:44 – 51:49
I think she’s inspiring and I think to be inspiring is an amazing achievement.

Speaker 17
51:49 – 51:54
Thank you so much for joining me here today. Have a lovely night. Thank you very much, I will.

Speaker 3
51:55 – 52:00
Such an inspiring evening and community, including parent carer Rebecca Taylor.

Speaker 17
52:00 – 52:08
So I’m here with the winner of Parent Carer Award, Rebecca Taylor. Hi, how are you? Very well, thank you. What brought you here tonight?

Speaker 4
52:08 – 52:18
Was it just the award? Not at all. To be nominated was great. To be nominated as a finalist is an absolute honour beyond words.

Speaker 4
52:18 – 52:30
And I wanted to come just to see what happened. If I didn’t get any nominations or any awards, that doesn’t matter. The sheer fact I became a finalist is quite a big pat on my back, I think.

Speaker 17
52:32 – 52:35
And obviously a winner, which is an even bigger pat on your back.

Speaker 4
52:35 – 52:42
Yes, indeed. Wasn’t expected at all, but thrilled. Thrilled beyond belief.

Speaker 17
52:42 – 52:44
But you’re actually nominated in two categories, are you not?

Speaker 4
52:45 – 52:57
Actually nominated in three categories. Three categories! I was nominated for Autism Hero, Parent Carer Award and Lifetime Award, which is pretty mind-blowing.

Speaker 17
52:58 – 53:02
and just explain for our listeners what your connection to autism is.

Speaker 4
53:03 – 53:58
My connection is that my son Joshua who is now 13 was officially diagnosed with autism the day after his third birthday so as you can imagine it was quite a birthday and I’ve been down this path with various hiccups and hurdles to cross really quite big fights, fights I never thought in my life I’d have to fight and I’ve done this for Joshua and he’s my joy, he’s my life, he’s the best little man I know so I’m quite proud of that. and he is now in an autumn specific school in Cheadle near Stockport called Innscape House School and he’s coming on leaps and bounds. We’re hoping that in the next academic year he might actually be able to start to do a falconry course which would be absolutely amazing if he could do it because he loves being with the owls and the birds of prey.

Speaker 17
53:58 – 54:00
Yeah there’s something about animals that are very calming.

Speaker 4
54:00 – 54:22
There is something definitely about animals. Dogs at the moment aren’t really right for us, maybe when he’s a bit older. but the way he works with the birds and the birds of prey and the other owls, just amazing because obviously you’ve got to be very calm, you’ve got to have focus, you can’t do anything too jumpy for them because that scares the owls and he’s amazing with them, absolutely amazing.

Speaker 4
54:23 – 54:37
Do you wish that some things had gone differently? I wish a lot of things were done differently. I wish that people would stop putting us in a box. I wish people would listen to us instead of having preconceived ideas.

Speaker 4
54:38 – 54:58
I wish people would listen to the parents because nobody knows the child better than the parents. These professionals, yes, they’ve all got their degrees. Yes, they’ve all got their special gifts and everything. But seeing a child once a year for half an hour, well, not like you can really see in half an hour once a year, is there?

Speaker 4
54:59 – 55:11
So, yes, I do wish they’d open their minds, listen to the parents, listen to the carers. They do know what’s going on. They know better than anybody else. So, yeah, let’s…

Speaker 4
55:11 – 55:15
push all the different views aside and listen to what’s really going on.

Speaker 17
55:16 – 55:18
How important do you think evenings like tonight are?

Speaker 4
55:19 – 55:25
I think it’s vitally important. Absolutely vital. To bring autism to his awareness. Bring it to the forefront.

Speaker 4
55:25 – 55:50
It’s nothing to be scared of. It really isn’t. with the right help, the right support, the right people in the right place and parents fighting and we shouldn’t have to fight. We need these services in place and the sooner they get in place you will see the child, young person or adult with autism not just get happier, they will blossom.

Speaker 4
55:50 – 56:01
And to see your child blossom is the best thing in the world. It really is. So yeah, these are important. Stop hiding behind bushels.

Speaker 4
56:01 – 56:12
Let’s get autism out. These days a lot of industries are now saying we want autistic people working for us. Because they’re not just diligent in their work. They’re beyond diligent.

Speaker 4
56:12 – 56:25
They go above and beyond the call of duty. They do their work and more and more and more again. So let’s praise them instead of knocking them down. So tonight is a big, big important meeting tonight.

Speaker 4
56:26 – 56:34
And long may it last. I hope it goes on for the next 50, even 100 years. I think I’ll be long gone, but… Let’s keep it going.

Speaker 17
56:34 – 56:42
Well, I’m going to say thank you so much for talking to me. I’m going to let you get back to the big sparkly party that’s going on. There’s cheering and everything going on in the background. There’s a lot of cheering going on in the background behind us.

Speaker 17
56:42 – 56:44
So I’m going to let you get back, but thank you so much.

Speaker 4
56:44 – 56:45
OK, thank you very much indeed.

Speaker 3
56:46 – 57:00
If you’ve been inspired by our guests or our show, get in touch at Women’s Radio Station or email me at presenters at womensradiostation.com. And to see a full list of all of our award winners, head over to autismheroawards.com.

Speaker 14
57:01 – 57:21
Women’s Radio Station is looking forward to a great 2019 with more shows coming your way. All the presenters and the team behind each program would like to say a big thank you for listening. We are the voice of women worldwide and we cannot be without you. The journey has just begun with more exciting programs soon to be revealed.

Speaker 14
57:22 – 57:26
Women’s Radio Station, the voice of women worldwide.

Speaker 6
57:30 – 57:49
I’m Isabelle Manovi, an executive coach. Do you want to change a negative into a positive? We can do this by coaching you to rewire your brain using simple visualization techniques. In 20 years of practice, I’ve seen this transform lives.

Speaker 6
57:50 – 58:00
For more information, look on Women’s Radio website. Call me on 07 984 422 171. I’m listening.

Speaker 15
58:02 – 58:10
Mirae Bill Limited, we are a virtual PA consultancy. We provide remote administrative services. Our offering is diverse. We manage your calendar.

Speaker 15
58:11 – 58:19
We update your client database. We take care of your property in France and in London. We also offer bookkeeping and translation services. Would you like to know more?

Speaker 15
58:20 – 58:30
Please call 077-868-48998 for further information. Mirae Bill Limited, making the life of the business owner successful.

Speaker 1
58:32 – 58:53
Do you need mediation? We are The Aid Project charity. We provide convict resolution and community engagement services. Our services include community mediation for neighbour disputes, family mediation for separating couples, special education needs for parents, carers and their children and young adults, as well as workplace mediation and restorative services.

Speaker 1
58:54 – 58:59
To find out more, head to womensradiostation.com or theaidproject.co.uk

Speaker 10
59:02 – 59:21
Let me tell you about German Street Theatre. This is a secret theatre in the heart of the West End, once found, never forgotten. This is where careers ignite, where playwrights take risks, where great actors perform just feet away from the audience. This is where magic happens.

Speaker 10
59:21 – 59:51
We would love you to join our mailing list or become a sponsor or just buy a ticket to one of our shows. The website is www.germanstreettheatre.co.uk Women’s Radio Station is a not-for-profit community interest company. Supporting women is our passion. We’re currently welcoming donations to help towards our running costs to keep this important initiative alive.

Speaker 10
59:51 – 59:57
To donate, simply head to our website. Every little will help.