Aston Avery 110422

All Things Autism - Aston Avery 110422.mp3 ========================================= Speaker 1 00:00 - 00:16 Hello, this is Anna Kennedy. We're talking all things autism and what a busy day, week, month. Everything's going on because as you're aware, it's Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month. We've had autism Awareness and Acceptance Week and we've had World Autism Day. Speaker 1 00:16 - 00:50 So it's been, as you can imagine, quite busy. So the weekend that has just gone, we actually had a lot of our charity ambassadors, a lot of our charity champions in collaboration with Born Anxious. We were at Madame Tussauds and we were celebrating World Autism Day. So a lot of my champions and a lot of my ambassadors and a lot of the models that actually walked the catwalk on March the 12th, which was my birthday, came along with their families, with their siblings, and we enjoyed an experience together. Speaker 1 00:51 - 01:23 And Merlin Magic Wand, they actually let us come in a little bit earlier before the public so that we could come in, have a little walk around, have a little walk on the catwalk, and have photographs together and celebrate. and it was so lovely to see everyone because I hadn't seen some of the people that are part of the charity for a little while because obviously everything that's been going on with lockdown and everything that's been going on with Covid and yeah it was so lovely for everyone to be together and enjoy the experience. So as I say we celebrate it with Merlin Magic 1 charity. Speaker 1 01:23 - 01:46 Thank you for inviting us. and born anxious Kelly who is also one of my charity champions and I also did a radio interview with talk radio with Dr David Bull about the work of the charity and I had so much feedback from that and I've had a few more interviews come out of it. So my quote was, today is the start of Autism Acceptance Month. Speaker 1 01:46 - 02:08 Autism acceptance is essential if autistic people are to be genuinely and wholly included in society. This means that attitudes which marginalise autistic individuals need to be challenged and opinions changed. Autistic people are an essential and integral part of society and they must be accepted for who they are. So lots of things going on this month. Speaker 1 02:08 - 02:39 So one of them is our regular Step in the Right Direction Autism Dance Day which happens on the last Friday of April and that's because of my love of dance. Throughout the years we've celebrated and in the very first year we received UNESCO patronage. It's been a fantastic success. People are dancing across the country, in schools, in colleges, in offices, youth clubs, warehouses, garages, in your lounges, in your gardens, in fact, wherever you can find a spot to dance. Speaker 1 02:39 - 03:14 We all know the positive benefits of dance for our children and adults on the spectrum, and it's good for our mental health and well-being. So what I'm asking you to do is, the last Friday of the month, get your dancing shoes on and show us your videos or photographs of dance. So tag me in at Anna Kennedy OBE, at Anna Kennedy One on Twitter, Anna Kennedy Online on Facebook. I just wanted to share with you one of our charity ambassadors has written a book, The Incredible Kratu, the happy-go-lucky rescue dog who changed his owner's life. Speaker 1 03:14 - 03:31 I'm pleased to say that I was at the actual launch and it's Tess Eagle Swan and Lynn Barrett Lee. Just to give you a little bit of information what it's about. So Tess, was raised in a small Hertfordshire village. Tess found her life full of challenges but overcoming much adversity. Speaker 1 03:31 - 04:12 She eventually found the inner strength to leave her chaotic London lifestyle and go to Peru, where after learning about the ancient healing of cultures, she set out on a path which would lead her to Kratu. Tess had always struggled with communication but it wasn't until she was 54 that Kratu by her side, she was formally diagnosed with autism. For the past nine years, Tess has devoted her life to training Krater and her other dogs, whilst also raising awareness of animal welfare issues and autism-related causes. She supports the cross-parliamentary group APWG and is now a dedicated dog welfare advocate and rescue dog ambassador. Speaker 1 04:12 - 04:26 She's also one of my ambassadors, as I say, for Anna Kennedy Online, and also Kratu as formerly her assistance dog. And they did therapy at the local primary school, but is now retired. So if you want to buy this book, please. It's such a fantastic read. Speaker 1 04:26 - 04:42 Also, the People's Pet Award winner of 2021. It's on Amazon, and it's called The Incredible Kratu. And just to remind you as well, we've still got a few more weeks for Autism's Got Talent. So if you want to send in your auditions, please do. Speaker 1 04:42 - 05:19 All the information is on the charity website under the events page which is www.annakennedyonline.com. So whether you're a singer, whether you're a dancer, whether you're a poet, whether you're an actor, whether you're a musician or a magician, part of a band or whatever it is that you would like to show us, we want to see your talent. The closing date is the end of April and we have the difficult task of choosing 20 performers from across the country and overseas. and then you will be coming along to Mermaid Theatre for our 11th year, I can't believe it, 11 years and that'll be in October where the show will begin. Speaker 1 05:20 - 05:40 Bring your tissues because you will need them because there's always lots of tears that will be shed. So my guest today is one of my charity ambassadors and it's Aston Avery. And he helped to run his own local charitable organisation as well. He's currently a radio presenter on Daytime Radio, Gateway 97.8. Speaker 1 05:40 - 05:59 And once a month, Aston and I have All Things Autism in Essex. He was diagnosed at the age of two and a half and his parents and also my charity champions the lovely Dawn and the lovely Keith. So welcome Aston, it seems weird that I'm actually interviewing you for a change. Speaker 2 05:59 - 06:07 It is weird and thank you for having me on Anna, it does feel weird actually being on the other end of the boat than what I normally do on the presenting end of the boat. Speaker 1 06:07 - 06:10 That's right, so how long have you been doing Gateway Radio now? Speaker 2 06:11 - 06:24 Wow, this is my ninth year actually at Gateswave. I started in the background but this year had marked seven years as a daytime presenter so frightening times and it's really quick, gone quick I'll tell you that. Speaker 1 06:24 - 06:29 Yeah so do you enjoy, is it five days a week you do now or four days? Speaker 2 06:29 - 06:53 It's five days a week, really, like from 10 in the morning till one in the afternoon. So you get amazing times, amazing guests on the programme, such as yourself, Anna, of course, which I can't forget. And also the music on that front as well, which is ranging from like 1950s, early, like 40s, 30s, some rock and roll, all the way up to the current day, which is why we have a wide range of broad music, which is brilliant. Speaker 1 06:53 - 06:57 Yeah. So why did you get into radio? What made you get into the radio? Speaker 2 06:58 - 07:33 Wow and I have to say this really because it was through my experience through performing arts and especially one of my drama teachers who we've had on our show before, Anna, that runs a dance school called the Dance Fantastic, I should say a performing arts school, that spoke to someone that works someone that knows me, one of my bosses at the Gatesway 97.8, and said that I'd be interested in doing radio. So I had to start in the background, of course, and then training started in late 2014. And they said, round about before Easter, funny enough, 2015, they said, would you like to go on there? Speaker 2 07:33 - 07:41 I was like, oh, really on there? So first show can be daunting, but then there you go. So how was the first show? Can you remember it? Speaker 2 07:41 - 07:54 probably more nerve-wracking than me taking exams, I'll tell you that. Normally I don't like to show nerves but I was trying to think, don't do anything stupid, don't do anything stupid or anything silly, that's what I was thinking at the time. Speaker 1 07:54 - 07:56 So did you listen to yourself afterwards? Speaker 2 07:57 - 08:01 Not really because I hate listening to myself because I hate the sound of my own voice. Speaker 1 08:02 - 08:13 I don't like listening to myself either. So let's go back a little bit. So obviously, people know that you're on the Awesome Spectrum and you're one of my charity ambassadors. But let's go back to Aston. Speaker 1 08:13 - 08:20 Who is Aston? So if someone said to you, who is Aston Avery? Talk to me a little bit about where you were born. Have you got any siblings? Speaker 1 08:20 - 08:28 Obviously, I know all of this, but for people who are listening in, have you got any siblings? And just a little bit of background about who is Aston. Speaker 2 08:29 - 08:57 Well, I'm Aston Avery from Basildon in Essex, which is brilliant to tell all the Essex listeners here today. And also I have a mum, a dad and obviously Nan as well, who's a big supporter. And even me, I've got an older brother and a sister-in-law as well, and I've also got one niece as well, which is known as well to everyone really. And I'm proud to have all my family support me and everything around me really. Speaker 2 08:57 - 09:14 Ah, so what was school like for you? Can you remember? Oh, mainly at school. When I first went into school, primary school, it was like a special needs school called Elmbrook, which no, sadly, unfortunately became Pioneer and they've relocated somewhere else now. Speaker 2 09:14 - 09:49 It's still in Basildon though, but relocated to a different area of Basildon. But, and then from the age of five went to Castledon, which is based in Wickford. And they also had amazing teachers there, especially my very first teacher I had there by the name of Mrs Salmon who sadly is no longer with us and she works wonders not only for me but for my mum and dad as well at the same time and helping us get through the challenging times especially when I was in in and out of hospital etc she would always visit when I was in hospital even if one even my mum or my dad was up there. Speaker 1 09:50 - 09:52 So you were diagnosed at two and a half is that right? Speaker 2 09:52 - 10:19 Correct at two and a half and the diagnosis at the time was that when they found out, me mum grabbed me dad's hand and me dad shed a tear. That's why we'll get to it later on as to why that came about but My dad did shed a tear at that time at the diagnosis because obviously at the time autism was somewhat an unknown quantity at the time. There was people diagnosed but not known at the time if you know what I mean. Speaker 1 10:19 - 10:42 Yeah very much like my son Patrick, you're sort of quite a fairly similar age, I think he's just a few years older than you. So you were later diagnosed with PICA, spelled P-I-C-A, and multiple allergies and enterocolitis. So for people listening in, first of all, do you mind explaining what PICA is and what kind of allergies you've got? Speaker 2 10:42 - 11:29 Pica is more so to do with the, it's an eating thing, it's like I eat weird and wonderful things which could be like wood, it could be plastic, it could be cotton, it could be like, not so much metal or glass because that would be dangerous of course, but that being said really, pica is someone that eats weird and wonderful objects and you mentioned enterocolitis as well which I was diagnosed with, which is similar to inflammatory bowel disease. inflammatory bowel disease, so IBD, so as they called it there, and that's why I was in and out of hospital a lot as well, was to try and get all the medication, not just medication but the treatment at the time as well, and eventually some surgery. Speaker 1 11:29 - 11:33 Okay, and how did you cope with all of that? Did you find it overwhelming? Speaker 2 11:33 - 12:04 probably not as overwhelming but yes at the same time it was a overwhelming but painful as well. Tell you that's there and I know there's people out there that have some form of inflammatory bowel disease that suffer from colitis, Crohn's being a big topic as well today because there's people out there with Crohn's as well and tell you what having the operations I've had, it is absolutely a must really. If you want to get treated well, have an operation and even get treated, get the right treatment for it. Speaker 2 12:04 - 12:07 If you find out early, that's where you get the right treatment. Don't leave it too late. Speaker 1 12:08 - 12:17 Yeah, so could you talk to me about some of the challenging times that you had during your teenage years? If you don't mind, if you find it too uncomfortable, that's fine. Speaker 2 12:18 - 13:13 the teenage years etc here have been like through after going through the operations which at the age 11 I have a colostomy at the age of 11 which I still carry today and it's and it's done me wonders since then but after that me teenage years I was going through bouts of mental health where I wanted to take my own life in some degree that was either through bullying at the time or even likewise medical dramas that I've had as well but not through enterocolitis though but head like head dramas thinking oh this I'm not going to succeed, not going to succeed, not going to succeed but hey ho overcome the mental health barriers by having all the right medication, right treatment, right tuition as well from the doctors but especially but some medications worked some medications didn't but way of life, unfortunately, and when I got the right treatment, I've overcome the mental health barriers, which I'll still talk about today. Speaker 1 13:14 - 13:29 That's all really, really positive stuff to hear, Aston, and thank you for sharing that. So, you got into performing arts, so what made you want to do performing arts? What was it that you thought, right, I want to do, I want to try that? Speaker 2 13:30 - 13:57 Well, I wanted to try performing arts, really, because the age of it was about when I was at school, at primary school, in nursery there. But I got up on stage and they said they said I was never going to be able to go on stage. Went up on stage, bam, and then suddenly come to a finale of one of the productions with nursery there. Got up on stage premature before the rest of my class, really, and stayed up on stage for the entire finale. Speaker 2 13:57 - 14:32 So that's where the fun part is. the music side of it is what I really love and also the performing side of it and that's why at the age of 12, 13 now attend Le Danse Fantastique and I've been there since about the age of 12 and 13 taking the exams through drama, through dance, through musical theatre and even singing which is now a new examining body that I've been going through, got one coming up later this month and that's a grade two singing exam, but then at the age of 24 came Pineapple Performing Arts and that was through yourself Anna. Speaker 1 14:33 - 14:46 Yes, so tell me if somebody's interested and might be living in the Essex area and they're interested and find out a little bit more about Dance Fantastic, where can they find it and what sort of things do they do there and what sort of age group do they cover? Speaker 2 14:46 - 14:58 They cover all age groups really and really from the side of it here is that the age groups they cover two and a half when they do the MediDBare class. That's the earliest they take students really. Speaker 1 14:58 - 14:59 Okay. Speaker 2 14:59 - 15:40 Two and a half and then from there on in it is different really, they do like jazz modern, tap, ballet, musical theatre, drama, singing, all sorts really of classes you'd think of, but likewise as well now on a Thursday, this is for like adults, so it's for to do ballroom as well, and they even do adult classes on a Monday now, adult ballet, which is interesting as well. Does it make it very inclusive? it is inclusive, you've got like people that what they call as they say able-bodied and then the special needs as well which is like people with downs, people with autism, cerebral palsy which we have which we have as well at the dance school and it's uh it caters Speaker 2 15:40 - 15:47 for everyone really especially from two and a half up and dance school's been going now for over 30 years which is amazing as well. Speaker 1 15:47 - 15:55 Oh brilliant yeah because obviously I've met the founder and she's doing a fantastic job. So do you think you might like to teach performing arts? Speaker 2 15:56 - 16:06 Eventually, eventually. You never know really. It could be teaching, it could be helping out, it could be all sorts really. But performing has been my love and passion. Speaker 2 16:07 - 16:26 Do you think you love the Persians? You've got to have the patience especially when you have like people with like autism as well because you get people that have autism but not verbal and you have to persevere with them as well and that's why they have one-to-one tuitions which helps them especially with someone that they know as well and that's the idea what you want really. Speaker 1 16:26 - 16:48 Yeah. So you obviously got a fantastic opportunity through Maggie from Pineapple Performing Arts. And people that don't know this, I met Maggie because of Autism's Got Talent and I met Maggie through Debbie Moore, who's the founder of Pineapple. dance studios, amazing lady. Speaker 1 16:48 - 17:06 She was the first woman to get her company in the Footsie 100. I met her at an award ceremony. She was actually sitting on the next table and I approached her and told her of some of the ideas that I had about her. dance DVD, Step in the Right Direction, and about ideas that I had for a show. Speaker 1 17:06 - 17:15 So she said to me, I know the perfect person for you. I'd like you to meet Maggie. And that's when I met Maggie. And it's been maybe 12 years now since we've been friends. Speaker 1 17:15 - 17:28 And Maggie invited me to one of their shows. And it was at the Mermaid Theatre. And I remember she had the little ones called the Pineapple Chunks, which made me giggle. Again, fantastic show. Speaker 1 17:28 - 17:39 And then I was looking around and I thought I need to do something here. I need to try and do something. And then I decided about Autumn's Got Talent. I asked Maggie how would she feel about supporting me? Speaker 1 17:39 - 18:08 And I was telling the story about lots of children, lots of adults who were autistic that were writing to me because they were getting bullied and then they were teaching themselves how to play the guitar, whether electric, whether acoustic or the organ or whatever it was instrument on YouTube and it was really helping them to get over their bullying and you know to occupy them in the evening if you like. So she said, it sounds really fascinating. So I said, I'm going to put it out there and I'm going to ask people to send in their entries and see what comes back. Speaker 1 18:09 - 18:23 And we was inundated. I'm so excited. And then the first show happened in 2012. I must admit, I was quite anxious because obviously, you know, we'd chosen all the performers and we were putting a show together in two days and they'd never met anybody. Speaker 1 18:23 - 18:37 And we tried to give them as much information as possible, but it actually worked. And people talked about it for such a long time. Hence, why it's still going 11 years later. So Aston, can you remember your first experience of Autism's Got Talent? Speaker 1 18:37 - 18:41 Can you remember how far, how many years ago is it now? Speaker 2 18:41 - 18:58 It's seven years this year. 2015 was the time I actually got to perform for you for Autism's Got Talent. So it was a year you did People Strictly, which was very, very, very good. And I have to say, you got my team regardless of People Strictly. Speaker 2 18:58 - 19:18 the fabulous Robin Windsor, who is good friends with you, of course, and good friends with yourself as well at the same time. But he's brilliant to the charity, Robin. And the first time I actually performed, I was like, not for what they call the quiet bit where we got the meet and greet. But when we got to the stage, I was like, I've got to really get up there and perform. Speaker 2 19:18 - 19:48 And it was to Elvis Presley's Suspicious Minds, my performance I'd done with you back in 2000. And 15, and performing in front of like yourself, through Robin, through Jake Wood, who was there as well, George Gilby, who introduced me, and I won't, I will never ever forget George Gilby introducing me as well, because that was a nice touch there, and I got to meet so many people through the charity, and so many people outside as well, which is absolutely brilliant as well, when even the performers really bonded with him. Speaker 1 19:48 - 20:07 Yeah, that's as he always says to everyone, it's always exciting to see what happens on stage but it's also lovely to see what happens off stage and the friendships that are made with everybody and we could see that as well when we went to Madame Tussauds everybody you know hadn't maybe hadn't seen each other for a little while we were all getting together and it it was lovely. Speaker 2 20:08 - 20:51 It was lovely, especially like performers there, and obviously after 2015's performance, hence where Pineapple came in there and went through you, and I'm still there today at Pineapple Performing Arts, seven years in the works as they say, but this time around it's a lot different, mixing with the teens part, because the adult course is somewhat a little less numbered at the moment, so they've put me into the teens and I'm still learning and still doing stuff through Pineapple Performing Arts as well, and Coming back to Le Dance Fantastique, for our listeners, if they want to check out about Le Dance Fantastique and where they're based, it's ledancefantastique.uk.com is where they can find out all the information about classes etc. Speaker 1 20:52 - 20:57 Brilliant, so then you became one of my ambassadors and how long is that now? Speaker 2 20:57 - 21:26 That's now six years for 2016, a year after I performed it for you at the fourth ever Autism's Got Talent. It was the fifth one I've become ambassador for you and it's, I still do a lot of work with you and still help you out where I can of course because I'm obviously busy life as they called it as well but, and it was nice, it's nice to be asked back a few, some of the times to actually perform for Autism's Got Talent and perform with alongside people I know and some people who are new to the scene as well which is brilliant. Speaker 1 21:27 - 21:36 Yeah, because obviously you sang, and then recently you did some tap dancing, as you know, which is one of my favourite types of dance. So what made you get into tap dancing? Speaker 2 21:37 - 22:06 Yeah, that was through, again, my local dance school, Dance Fantastique as well. And I do tap classes on a Monday, funny enough, which I've got one later today, strangely. So it's absolutely brilliant to learn tap. Now, obviously, grades up to, well I'm now advanced one in TAT, which I'm learning at the moment, but obviously going through rehearsal process for an upcoming show later this year for La Dance Fantastique, which aint till October at the Towngate Theatre in Basildon. Speaker 1 22:06 - 22:45 Yeah, and talking about the Towngate Theatre, a few years ago, yourself, myself, your mum and dad, we went to the Towngate and asked about doing pantomime for allowing families to come in. And we're pleased to say that they now do relaxed performances and it's really enjoyed by all the family. They're not judged, they're able to sit down, you know, the lights are lower, it's not so loud. and the actors come on stage to talk about what's going to be happening during the pantomime so there's no sort of shock or, you know, it's just to give them a little bit of a heads up, you know, this is what the giant, whichever the character is at Speaker 1 22:45 - 22:58 the time, is going to be wearing or what he's going to be doing. And it's so lovely and because it's at Christmas they put on a little spread as well for the families and sometimes they give out Christmas presents. We had Father Christmas there. So it's so lovely. Speaker 1 22:58 - 23:11 So obviously yourself and your mum and dad look after the Essex area for me and we're just raising awareness as much as we possibly can. Hence why we have all things autism in Essex at the first Thursday of every month. Speaker 2 23:12 - 23:41 Indeed, yes, including like all things Autism in Essex for the first Thursday of every month. And that being said about the Towngate Theatre having their relaxed performances of the panto, this time around, I think this is their fourth or fifth time they're going to be doing it as well later this year. And they announced a couple of months ago now that their pantomime for the upcoming season is going to be Peter Pan, which is going to be different as well. So it's going to be So that's going to be a lot different to Beauty and the Beast, which was last season's one. Speaker 2 23:42 - 23:50 And they've had so many great reviews of the Towngate Theatre as well, especially one of the actresses in that who played the villain in the Beauty and the Beast is up for a Panto Award. Speaker 1 23:51 - 24:13 Oh, wow. That's brilliant. So you identify yourself as autistic and proud and you have that lovely purple T-shirt that you wear that I've had quite a few photographs with you. So when did you start to think, yep, I am proud of my autism because obviously there is sometimes there can be stigma attached as you know there are some people out there that can bully and obviously that's why we have our give us a break anti-bullying campaign so Speaker 1 24:13 - 24:18 when did you start thinking yep this is me I'm autistic and I'm proud Speaker 2 24:19 - 25:00 Ah, that's gone, that goes a long way back, but probably as soon as I reach the age of 24, 25, after performing at Autism Scot Talent with you, Anna, back in 2015 is when I first established, identified myself as autistic and proud. And how I talk about people with autism as well, and obviously adverse behaviours to parents is like, get them to persevere, persevere a bit. Don't let them, discipline them where you need to, but don't overreact in disciplining them. don't let get don't let them get away with what they want because that's half the problem that parents do now and again is let them get away with what they want and then get treated for it that's a no-no persevere with them but uh Autistic and Proud, I Speaker 2 25:00 - 25:17 use that on my social medias a lot, especially when it comes to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, now and again on Twitter mainly, but mainly Facebook and Instagram is where I use the motto, and that's it really, and that's how that came about, the Autistic and Proud, and hence why the t-shirt as well. Speaker 1 25:17 - 25:38 Yeah, so if you don't mind, and obviously it can be quite sensitive, so how do you deal with relationships? So would you like to have a girlfriend, a boyfriend, sometimes your mum and I chat about it and we chat about our own children. So how do you feel about relationships? Speaker 2 25:39 - 26:36 The relationships really, I have been in some before in the past really and last time I had a proper relationship was when I was at the age of 16, 17 at college back in 2007, 8 really and that was nearly about a year and it was a girlfriend at the time funny enough so and I'm not one of those that would rather have girlfriends than boyfriends really so that's how I feel about it at the end of the day. I'm straight as I'm straight which most people will now know that I am really so and how I feel about having relationships it's about finding the right person it's not about like jumping in at the deep end as such really if you know what I mean just take it gentle if so I say this so this is where my expertise in relationships might come in but not the ways the best relationships are expert here but I'd rather see myself as like a want to not jump into relationships as well and I do struggle sometimes and Speaker 2 26:36 - 26:38 that's why I need parents support now and again. Speaker 1 26:39 - 26:41 So if you had an ideal girl what would you be looking for? Speaker 2 26:42 - 27:20 Oh wow this is putting me on the spot here. So with that as well, obviously kind-hearted, without a shadow of a doubt, that's got to be the one thing as well, kind-hearted, and obviously one that you'd think would not be able to do cheating, as they say, which is one thing you don't want, and also age-wise, I don't like to go with age because it could be a little bit of a problematic sort of side of it as well, and I don't like to mention about age, whether it That's the thing as well and a rather good-looking as well is the one thing as well. They need to be good-looking, kind-hearted, not worried about age of course and obviously... Speaker 2 27:20 - 27:31 Pleasing to the eye. Yeah, clean to the eye as they say as well and trying to not do any cheating or anything like what they call texting someone else on the barmy back and all that. Speaker 1 27:31 - 28:02 Okay, got you. So your mum has written a book of your family's journey and I know I spoke to her quite a while ago and she said she'd been writing it for quite some time but she hadn't finished and she managed to get more of it done when we were going through lockdown and I'm going to talk to you about lockdown as well about your experience of lockdown and how you found it. but obviously your mum's finished the book now and it's been launched and we've got some copies in the office that we've been selling and you've been, I'll let you talk about it. Speaker 1 28:02 - 28:10 Tell me about the book and how did you feel about your mum writing a book about you? The book itself, wow. Speaker 2 28:10 - 29:00 I felt at the time when my mum was writing it, I was like giving it a okay really because I thought I'd rather see people see and hear about my parents, how they went through with it and also about my life and how I went through it as well, which is quite abstract as they say as well but also good to know that parents out there can understand someone that's gone through autism and even parents have gone through someone living with autism as well and how they approach different ways of life, different barriers that they overcame and also wanted to get out there, get out there, and also get themselves known into the public eye. But it's really when I first saw the book, really, when my mum was typing, and this was in lockdown, funny enough, at that time when that came out as well, that I was reading little bits as she was typing it up, and then she asked me to do Speaker 2 29:00 - 29:19 a bit of a blurb on it, and I was like, yeah, I'll talk about it, but it had to be typed up though, because there was no way I was going to speak about it anyway in the book. So for obvious reasons. It's called From a Tear to Here, hence why I said earlier that my dad shed a tear on my diagnosis and that's where the inspiration of the name came from. Speaker 1 29:19 - 29:42 So if people are interested you can buy a copy from the charity website. So if you go into our shop area you can see t-shirts there by Born Anxious, you'll see Tessa's book The Incredible Creator and you'll also see Aston's book which is called From a Tear to Here. So if you're interested you can buy a copy from the charity website and we can post it to you. So have you actually read the book? Speaker 2 29:43 - 30:29 Bits of it, not all of it because I can't really lie as they say, but that would be awkward if I said I hadn't read it because it's got my own name there. One thing I got asked to do when helping out on it was to do the doodling, as they call it, where they do like random pictures. I know I'll get funny looks about one of the chats in there, which I'm not going to spoil about really, because people have to read it before they even discover why that was done and why that picture was done for that chapter there. that was really it really, and I got asked to do Doodling, it might have been some adding some effects onto it, and then she added some pictures on there into the book as well, which is pictures of me childhood all the way up to now really, and the Speaker 2 30:29 - 30:30 story never ends as they say. Speaker 1 30:31 - 30:36 Yeah, so did you say to your mum, don't write about that, I don't want you to write about that, don't share that picture, or were you pretty open? Speaker 2 30:37 - 30:59 No, I was pretty open to it really, because I'd rather see people see the picture side of it, especially those that don't understand how someone through childhood there goes through and goes through like different stages of autism, even if they live with, know someone that live or living with it really as a parent or know someone that's got it within their own background and all that with their own family. Speaker 1 30:59 - 31:10 OK, so we just briefly spoke about lockdown. How was lockdown for you? Because obviously, you know, a lot of things changed during lockdown. People's routines changed. Speaker 1 31:11 - 31:19 I know I've shared before, like my son had to work from home and he found that quite tough because for him, work is work and home is home. So how was it for you? Speaker 2 31:20 - 32:00 first couple of months hated it because there and this is that's a strong word that I've said there that and really untrue to me word there and I did hate it even though I'm saying it again it's really a strong word that's uh why I struggled for the first two months really for the month of lockdown it affected my mental health really and it affected uh the fact that I was there was nothing for me to do and then out of the blue, Maggie Patterson from Pineapple, who we're good friends with, ended up doing online ballet classes and online Pineapple classes, which kept me going throughout as well, the two months of lockdown. And that's something that got me back into it as well and got me back into me getting me good status as well. Speaker 2 32:00 - 32:36 And it gave me something to do because what I like to do really is I'd like to be busy. They're not busy, if you know what I mean. So doing activities as well helped me throughout lockdown really, in the finish, like doing online classes, online quizzes as well, on the choir, online everything really. And I'd rather be busy than not busy because if I was busy then it kept my mind off everything that was going on in the news etc because I'd rather not watch the news, I'd rather be busy doing activities. Speaker 1 32:36 - 32:51 Yeah, because we also had a month of where all everybody, we had this WhatsApp group going, didn't we? We were all like supporting each other on the WhatsApp. But we also did a fundraiser where people were doing cycling or people were doing walking. So you obviously supported us with that because obviously times were tough. Speaker 1 32:51 - 33:13 You know, we weren't being able to raise money for the charity. So we were trying to think of different ways of doing things to help raise funds, but also help raise awareness and acceptance, but also try and keep people occupied. And that's why we were doing competitions like the VE Day competition, the dance competition, the cake competition, the poster competition. We were trying to think of different ways, weren't we, to keep things going. Speaker 2 33:14 - 33:47 Oh yes, indeed, and I remember one of the lockdowns, it was the walking tuition that we was doing, that me mum, dad and I, we was walking so many miles a day, and things was like from, not from Land's End to the John O'Groats area, as they say, because that's normally the traditional one, and it was like going through walking stages and it was just nice to do something and give back to the charity especially to the community throughout the times that they've gone through and also some of the community organisations that are really struggling and charities such as your charity Anna really and it's good to give back to people. Speaker 1 33:48 - 33:52 Yeah we're now we're doing something else again now this month for autumn awareness month so what are you going to be doing for us? Speaker 2 33:53 - 34:25 Oh I know what you I know people have asked me am I going to be walking am I going to be running or cycling. No, it's going to be dancing for a total of 70 hours and I know you like your dance Anna, so the dance side of it is going to include ballroom, tap, jazz modern, street, musical theatre, ballet, name it all really because I love all dance genres and it's nice to get out there and do something different rather than just walk, cycle and what they call run as well because a lot of people do that. Speaker 1 34:26 - 34:36 So you did a dance experience with a partner and I remember seeing you dressed up as Superman. So tell everybody about what it was that you were doing. Speaker 2 34:36 - 35:05 Ah, that had to be brought up, I know, but yes, what it was, back in 2019, me radio, one of me colleagues at the radio station said, would I want to do a Strictly Come Dancing event, really, and it was for St Luke's Hospice. It was called Strictly St Luke's, they called it at the time then, and then after applying, a couple of months later, they said I would be doing it. I was like, oh, really? Okay, and I was like, awkward. Speaker 2 35:05 - 35:57 And then pairing up with my dance partner at the time, who's now teaching ballroom at the Dance Fantastic on a Thursday night as well, which is nice to know as well. But with that being said, it was the amount of training I had to go through, and I had to learn the waltz, and which is uh slow because i had to learn one ballroom one latin so i had to do the waltz and then the samba and i know you like the quick dances ana so especially i'm afraid slow dancers are not for me yeah the the superman outfit was the waltz funny enough and that was to uh hero mariah carey it was at the time but obviously not it was in the style of mariah carey's hero but not mariah carey's thing in it it was through uh actually in the start of it, but then the second one, the Samba, was to The Greatest Showman, but the Samba version of it, not the actual musical version of it, which is a popular musical today, Speaker 2 35:57 - 36:00 is The Greatest Showman, and I have to say, love that musical. Speaker 1 36:01 - 36:06 So what's your favourite singing, dancing, acting, if you had to choose, radio presenting? Speaker 2 36:07 - 36:40 I'm trying to think now, but I have to say, I love them all really, because at the end of the day, if you love performing, you love entertaining the listeners, the people you're watching you do shows, etc. It's brilliant to be an entertainer and rather be an all-rounder and be someone that's sticking to one genre, so that's about it really. And that's come with the late, great Bruce Bullseye, who we know is an all-round entertainer as well, and he's sorely missed by everyone, especially to those that love Strictly Come Dancing. Speaker 1 36:41 - 36:43 Yeah, so have you got somebody who you admire? Speaker 2 36:44 - 37:02 Oh, at the time, really, it was before he sadly passed on. It was Brucey because I love the way he was entertaining the audience as well, especially with his wit and his banter as well. And that was nice to see that, especially with the Strictly contestants that we see on the telly as well. He would always turn around and say, even if they weren't great, they're his favorite. Speaker 2 37:02 - 37:11 And that was nice to see that. And I absolutely admire that as well, that everyone is good. But even if they're not good, they're still good. Yeah. Speaker 2 37:11 - 37:12 Don't get me wrong. Speaker 1 37:12 - 37:31 Yeah, yeah. No, because everyone, as long as you do your best and you've enjoyed what you've done and you put your hand on your heart and say, I've tried my best. For me, that's what's important. So when I first met you, you were working at the radio and you were a volunteer and I was quite shocked that you were a volunteer because I thought all those hours that you put in should be getting paid. Speaker 1 37:31 - 37:37 But now you are getting paid for your time and you have been promoted. So tell us about that then. Speaker 2 37:37 - 38:24 Oh, it's nearly a year now since that came about. It was before, a month before my birthday, before my 30th, funny enough, I've got that studio manager role given to me and it's, what it means really is that I have to keep an eye on what goes on in the studio, what goes round, like cleaning wise, especially through the pandemic that we've had as well, so making sure that the presenters when they finish in the studio or before they go on air is to make sure they clean the studio and be sanitizing the studio as well right afterwards they've been on air because we don't want anything going around so like illnesses have been going about especially quite recently as well where we've had like certain viruses go about but not not generically COVID but colds as well which is a common thing as well with some people. Speaker 1 38:24 - 38:25 It's kicking around now as well. Speaker 2 38:26 - 38:31 Pardon? Norovirus, I believe, is kicking around now as well. It is. Norovirus is. Speaker 2 38:31 - 38:50 And I do remember having this, but that was like back in, that was 1918 at the time when I had it as well. And that was, and then again, I've not, I've not had any really like norovirus since then. And I've recovered from that quite quickly. And that was quite like, really? Speaker 2 38:51 - 38:52 I had that and then bam. Speaker 1 38:53 - 39:03 So how do you prepare for your shows? So obviously you've got five shows a week, so how do you prepare the content or are you told what sort of things you've got to include? Speaker 2 39:04 - 39:53 I'm told really like what I get on the day really so sometimes I might have guests on so I have to include them in the program and also likewise I might have stuff that I put placed in, generically put in really so guests could range that I have on like celebrities, it could be a spokesperson to do with the marketing research etc so like it could be someone from Tesco's, it could be someone from EE, someone like that could be a spokesperson, but with that being said as well, some of the people that we've had on are like celebrity spokespeople at times, but not always celebrities as a spokesperson, or even local people as well, doing stuff within the community. So like charity organisations, yourself Anna, and also good friends through our charity Stephen Smith are on a regular as well, like once a month. Speaker 2 39:53 - 40:29 Have you had any awkward interviews where you're thinking, oh this is not going the way that I thought it was going to go? Uh guess wise it can be but it's depending what they're talking about as well. If they're not comfortable with what they're talking about that's when I'm like uh oh okay carry on there and uh At the moment as well we have to be careful what we talk about because obviously we're in that time of year with the local elections being about as well so we can't have anyone that's standing for local elections on our shows at the moment which is interesting and we have to abide to that by Ofcom because we're governed by Ofcom of course in that sense. Speaker 1 40:30 - 40:56 So, with reference to reasonable adjustments, because I bang on about those, because a lot of our adults, like my son Patrick, they need some reasonable adjustments to help them get through their working day. What provisions are put in place for you at Gateway to help you feel comfortable when you're in the studio? And also, can I ask, if you need some time out, how does that work when you're on the radio? How does that work on the radio? Speaker 2 40:57 - 41:31 Well, luckily the mic's not live anyway when I'm having a bit of time out because I turn my mic down anyway, so that's the good news. So I keep myself locked into one of the studios anyway and put myself in there and with the provisions that are in place as well, likewise we have the only people that come in really are like people that are due to be on air etc and like due to do engineering works, that's it really, that's what we need, the provision, and they tell us that beforehand anyway, even before going on there, but obviously through the pandemic we've had protect shields put in, as you know, anyways. Speaker 1 41:32 - 41:35 Yeah, I feel a bit weird when they first were put in. Speaker 2 41:36 - 42:10 When I first saw him, it was a bit weird. And when I went back to here, like to Gateway, back in the towards the end of the first lockdown, of course, that we had, and they showed the Screensville air. And I was like, I can see why they were put in, really, because it was more to do with trying to protect everyone at the end of the day from the virus that was out there. And now, we still have them up really, which is to try and make sure that the safety of the presenters, the guests when they're in as well, to try and make sure they don't have any other illnesses, respiratory illnesses and also viruses that go about as well. Speaker 2 42:10 - 42:12 We want to protect the people out there. Speaker 1 42:13 - 42:22 So can I ask, do you have any sensory issues? Do you experience sensory overload? And if you do, how does it manifest itself for you? Speaker 2 42:23 - 42:53 Well, that manifests really when there's a lot of people talking, trying to fit into a conversation and that can be a problem as well when I'm trying to fit into a conversation and there's too many people talking. So what I do is take myself away really from that and try and go to my parents etc because I don't like to be about when there's too much conversations going on and too much conversations in trying to fit in and I can't when I think I'm not going to fit into a conversation. Speaker 1 42:53 - 43:04 What sort of things, what do you mean? So you're not going to fit into a conversation, what do you mean if they're talking about something that you're not interested in or something you feel uncomfortable about, you just sort of excuse yourself or you just sort of Speaker 2 43:05 - 43:31 It's more so excusing myself rather than actually fitting into the conversation like what topics they're talking about etc because it's not really that I felt like at the time really when I feel like I want to excuse myself because there's too much going on and if there's too much noise that doesn't help really like too much chat noise, not so much music, not so much lighting but more so chat if you know what I mean. Speaker 1 43:31 - 43:47 Okay. So talk to me about siblings because lots of parents are interested in sibling relationships. So obviously you've got a lovely brother called Aaron who I've met and who's now a dad and you're an uncle. So talk to me about your relationship growing up and how was it? Speaker 2 43:47 - 43:59 What did your brother do for you? How did he help you? Wow, he was, well, the age of six is when he actually got me to talk, which unfortunately now I can't stop talking. So that's the factor of it. Speaker 2 43:59 - 44:27 But that being said, he's been like a real big brother to me. And especially when I was born and up to the point where he got me to first talk, really supporting me throughout really where he can, of course, is obviously he's got a wife, he's got a child, a second one on the way as well, of course, which he's known now. So it's nice to know that fact that he's become a parent, which is brilliant, and I get to spend time with my niece, of course, which is brilliant as well. Speaker 2 44:27 - 45:00 And when he got me to introduce to his future sister-in-law, who's now his wife, of course, he asked her to embrace, if you know what I mean, someone with autism, and that's where that came about as well. And Charlotte, my sister-in-law, is absolutely wondrous, especially, and likewise, sometimes what happens sometimes after I finish work is that I'll go around there to have a chat with Charlotte and have a chat and also see my niece now and again where I can as well which is good as well because it gives me that downtime as they say. Speaker 1 45:01 - 45:11 How did you get on with your niece because Patrick says to me sometimes he finds it difficult when he hears a baby cry, he said he finds it stressful. How was that for you when your niece was growing up? How old is she now? Is she three? Speaker 2 45:12 - 45:20 She's coming up to three, funny enough. She's two at the moment, but coming up, she'll be three this month. And it's, she's wonders, really. She's happy. Speaker 2 45:20 - 45:30 She's happy. She's not always crying. That's the good thing about it. She never, ever cried unless something was not going her way, if you know what I mean, which can happen to someone at her age. Speaker 2 45:30 - 45:48 But very rare she cries. But she absolutely loves to play. She loves to, like, be out and about and loves to walk now, which she is as well, which is brilliant and that being said as well, she just loves it really and she's a happy child and you can't really tell that. Speaker 1 45:48 - 45:50 Did she have a love of music and dance do you reckon? Speaker 2 45:51 - 46:10 She loves Disney, I know that for a fact. Everyone, who can't love Disney? So that's the thing, she loves her Disney films. But the only catch is with Disney films, she's not into animated stuff, she's into live action a lot, which is different really, because you wouldn't think that for someone her age. Speaker 2 46:10 - 46:23 There you go, someone that Ray's liking, loving live-action films, like live-action Beauty and the Beast, live-action Aladdin, and also live-action Mulan as well, which is a couple of the ones, some of the ones she likes as well. Speaker 1 46:23 - 46:46 Yeah, Angelo, because we went home to the North East, to Middlesbrough, he met his, well she's my great niece, for the first time and she was a little bit, she started crying a little bit and Angelo found that quite difficult to deal with so he went into the bathroom and shut the door and I could hear him saying, what's the matter? What's the matter? So that's how he was dealing with it. Speaker 1 46:46 - 47:01 And he was slightly not quite sure if the word jealous was the right word. But when I was giving Rosalia a hug, he kept coming over to me to give me a hug. So it was obviously a new experience. He'd never seen me with a baby before. Speaker 1 47:02 - 47:04 So it's something he needs to get used to, let's say. Speaker 2 47:05 - 47:46 It is something they need to get used to, especially Angelo, as you mentioned there Anna, because one thing with so many people with autism, it's good to have that downtime, especially having time with like a niece, a nephew, especially if they've got, if they're a parent themselves, a son, daughter, name it, or even pets as well, because some of the pets are even what they call calm people with autism down, especially like the dogs as well, as you mentioned with that Test and Crater really, and that helps a lot of people really like pets as well, not just pets, but just animals in general, because you've got animals that really look after the people with autism, and that's nice to hear and see where they can as well. Have you ever had a pet? Speaker 2 47:47 - 48:33 Yes, funny enough, the last pet I had was a chinchilla, but sadly, unfortunately, that passed away about 10 years ago, I'd say, really. and it was, no, because really a chimchilla was like, it's like a cross squirrel rabbit sort of thing, if you know what I mean. So it's a South American animal that lives in, obviously you have to have it in a cage because obviously that's where it usually is, but with that being said you have to clean it out every so often, you have to give it so much food, so much treats where you can as well, so like if it's treats it's monkey nuts of course anyway you know which is like a big peanut sort of thing anyway if you know what i mean Speaker 1 48:33 - 48:46 Okay, all right. I just wanted to let people know as well because I received this just a couple of days ago. So the Ministry of Justice have actually put out the Human Rights Act, so it's bringing the Human Rights Act up to date. What do you think of our plans? Speaker 1 48:46 - 49:16 And they've actually put together an easy read version of Human Rights Act reform, a modern Bill of Rights, a consultation to reform the Human Rights Act of 1998. So it's an easy read. So what it's got is about this paper, why things need to change, what the government plans to do, how to tell us what you think, the questions about you, what the words mean. Some words are in bold and it's got a whole load of information there with pictures. Speaker 1 49:17 - 49:48 So it's a very much an easy read. So if you're interested and you want to find out more about where you can actually get it, you can look on the website, which is consult I'll just say that again, it's consult.justice.gov.uk where you can get a copy of this booklet. So it's very good. I'm grateful that they sent me a copy to have a look, so I just wanted to share that with everybody. Speaker 1 49:48 - 50:02 So have you, I know what we haven't spoken about, you've got a little project where you recognise people that go the extra mile in Essex, so tell everybody about when it was set up, why it was set up and how you're doing. Speaker 2 50:02 - 51:02 This is called Team AB Essex and this was set up late 2017 and we do a thing called Aston's Pamper Project where we give out to local people, not like local people have gone the extra mile doing wonders within the community, it could be someone that's a carer, could be a teacher, it could be a parent that's looked after someone through illness, through health battles or gone through something themselves, challenging themselves really and it's warning back to them really and it's nice to give back to the community and they've done wonders as well throughout and quite what we do is have pamper hampers really given to them where they can actually treat themselves to a well-deserved treat and some of the people that we've had recipients of are either run their own like their own organisation, they've run their own, obviously done a lot throughout the community there, looked after people, looked after their parent that's had an illness, their child that's had an illness, or gone through their own personal health battle, so like having cancer, having what they call other illnesses alongside it, and also autism as well, because some of the parents Speaker 2 51:02 - 51:15 look after people with autism, or looked after someone that's had their illnesses there, and it's nice to give back to those wonderful people who have done wonders throughout the community and that's what they call unsung heroes that don't get recognised a lot. Speaker 1 51:16 - 51:18 So where do you get all your pamper goodies from? Speaker 2 51:19 - 52:00 We end up what they call getting them in, like what we call buying them of course and we have to buy the right things and we have to be careful what we buy of course anyway because obviously we have to be careful what age group it is that get given it of course and on that front so you might get people to go like oh yeah we can't have that we can't have that so we have to be careful what we have to comply to what the individual wants at the time if they want it so we give them like a voucher if they want to go want to do an activity or something or something to spend money on etc and some of them that haven't some of them that don't that never had the from a tear to here but we put that in with the package as well so they've got that as well to have a look at Speaker 1 52:00 - 52:05 Oh that's good, so does it once a quarter that you ask for nominations, is that right? Speaker 2 52:06 - 52:40 Yes, it's usually once a quarter, so we've had our March edition, now we're going to be, nominations are open now for June, so the very, so it won't be till end of June that the nominations will be shut for the June part, but then March 1 is shut but nominations are open for June and people can nominate by going to teamabs6.com and click on the Pamper Projects page and fill out the nomination form from there and then it goes to our independent panel of people who then decide who gets a deserved pamper hamper. Brilliant. Speaker 1 52:41 - 53:08 So if people are interested and might like to speak to us on All Things Autism in Essex on Gateway Radio, they can contact us through the charity website. So we're always looking for speakers. So if you're interested, or even if you might be an artist, because you have a special slot, don't you, Aston, where you can play up and coming singers, which we've had the lovely Leanne Louise, and then now she's just doing so amazing. So do you want to talk a little bit about that? Speaker 2 53:08 - 53:51 Well Leanne the Weasley we had on back in February of 2020 before lockdown, the dreaded lockdown of course there, and she has a son that's on the autistic spectrum and she came in and chatted about her son who was on the autistic spectrum and then but he's also a singer on the choir and the amazing singer, it has to be said there. Quite recently, if you remember the Euros last year, which England did amazingly well at, even though the final was not the result that England wanted at the time there, she done a song for the England football team at the time as well, and it got so many views, so many listens, and it was amazing to have that recognition from a local artist, really, like Leanne, who was on our show back in February 2020. Speaker 2 53:51 - 54:00 to know someone that's got a child with autism and to promote her music as well and it was absolutely brilliant to showcase someone like Leanne on our show. Speaker 1 54:00 - 54:05 So if people are interested and they want you to play their song on your radio programme, how do they go about it? Speaker 2 54:06 - 54:41 How they go about it is that they have to send an email and attach an MP3 audio and bio details about yourself, but they've got to be within the Basildon East Clerk area, of course. Sometimes you go as far as Romford, sometimes you go as far as Southend, of course, or even occasionally chumps for but not always there it's unsigned it's gateway nine seven eight dot com is where they can actually uh send us the mp3 they've got to send us an mp3 audio but a bio about themselves and we could get their music on there and who knows get an interview from off of us off one of our presenters here which include myself Speaker 1 54:41 - 54:53 So we've had quite a few, haven't we, from the charity who have either been on Autism's Got Talent or our charity single, or we had our charity album, Building Bridges. We played quite a few of them, didn't we? Speaker 2 54:54 - 55:02 Yeah, we did. And it's amazing that some of them have come through yourself, Anna, and some of them have come back to perform for Autism's Got Talent, especially with the roadshows as well. Speaker 1 55:03 - 55:20 That's right, so our roadshows this year, we're hoping to go to the North East, so that'll be later on in the year. We're just waiting to hear back because obviously it's difficult to book theatres at the present because everything was postponed. So everything sort of moved along, if you like. So all the theatres are pretty much booked up. Speaker 1 55:21 - 55:43 So it's really hard to get a theatre slot at present. I also wanted to share as well which was in the news and as you know I'm always banging on about diagnosis. So autistic children wait up to five years for a national health appointment. Figures obtained by the Observer show scale of mental health crisis as families to have huge impact of delays. Speaker 1 55:43 - 56:27 Children are having to wait up to five years for an NHS autumn appointment according to figures obtained. and figures acquired under the Freedom of Information Act show that 2,835 autistic children referrals at Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership have still not had their first appointment, an average of 88 weeks after being referred. The longest wait at the time the response was sent is 251 weeks, which is nearly five years. So meanwhile, 1,250 children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder referrals at the trust have yet to have their first appointment, having waited on average 46 weeks and 195 weeks in the worst case. Speaker 1 56:27 - 56:39 Come on NHS, get your act together. We need to do better than this. All these families are waiting. So if you have to give some advice, Aston, we've got another five, six minutes to go. Speaker 1 56:39 - 56:52 If you had to give some advice to somebody that's going through the process of getting a diagnosis or families that are trying to get a diagnosis, what advice would you give if you could have hindsight if you like? Speaker 2 56:52 - 57:29 I would say get early diagnosis because that could help with especially with like getting the right sort of help if you know what I mean because I got diagnosed at two and a half and that was early some people leave it late you're leaving it far too late because you won't get you might not get the help you might not get the tuition that you need and get the support you needed and especially for parents out there you want to get your child diagnosed early so you can get the right help the right support the right tuition as well and also the process of trying to help your child or adult in later life here and that's the very important thing I must say to all the parents and people out there today. Speaker 1 57:30 - 58:01 But sometimes it's not always that easy is it Aston because as I said they've got these huge long waiting lists and you know and parents are struggling trying to get a diagnosis and what's happening is that you get quite a few parents are now paying so that they can get a private assessment, a private diagnosis and obviously a lot of parents don't have that sort of money especially now with everything that's going on you know prices of everything going up whether it's gas, electric, food it's just we're in tough times, we're in uncertain times Speaker 2 58:02 - 58:29 We are indeed. It is uncertain times, I have to say, Anna. It's sad to say that we're in uncertain times as well, but the coming back to good times is really, and especially with the book as well, Anna, that it mentions about all the achievements that some like 90 myself but my mum my brother have gone through etc and supporting like other people as well but it's sad to see people living in difficult times especially with the cost of living that's out there at the moment. Speaker 1 58:29 - 58:52 It is it's just like as you know it's you know taking one day at a time and everybody trying to come together and support each other. And I know it's tough with everything that's going on. You know, the news is just full of doom and gloom at the minute, but hey, we're all supporting each other. So if you need to message the charity, it's www.annakennedy.org.uk. Speaker 1 58:52 - 59:04 online.com. If you'd like to speak on Gateway Radio with Aston and I, please contact the charity website. Lots of information going on there. We also have our newsletter and it's free. Speaker 1 59:04 - 59:26 So if you want updated information, please register and you will get a newsletter once every quarter. So I just want to say thank you to you, Aston. I want to say thank you to your mum and your dad for continuously supporting the charity, for your friendship and for everything that you do to help me raise awareness and acceptance. And I just want to say a huge thank you and a virtual hug. Speaker 2 59:27 - 59:42 It's an absolute pleasure to have me on today, Anna, and it's a pleasure to see you having me on the programme today. And it's an absolute pleasure. And I'd like to thank everyone who's listening today and everything. If you want to find out more about myself, it's at aviey underscore Aston on Twitter. Speaker 2 59:42 - 59:51 On Instagram, it's at Aston 1991 22. And Team AVS6, it's at Team AVS6 as well, where you can find out more. Speaker 1 59:51 - 1:00:00 Thank you very much Aston, take care and I will see you very soon. Thank you Anna and I'll see you very soon as well. Yeah, thank you everyone. Bye, take care.