Autism Unlimited

Working together to create possibilities.

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Portfield School

What we do

Autism Unlimited exists to support and empower autistic children, adults and their families. We partner with them to find solutions and provide educational and life skills training.

From bespoke education for children, to independent living skills and career guidance for adults, we ensure that everyone who comes to us for support finds a route to their goals and to a rich and fulfilled life.

Training courses

Our online courses range from ‘Understanding Autism’ to ‘What is Neurodiversity?’. These tailor-made courses are co-designed by Neurodiverse people who provide you with first hand lived experience into their world. All our training is delivered in an interactive and engaging way.

Find out more

From the blog

On: 01/02/24 3 minutes

Leave a legacy to Autism Unlimited

Leave a legacy to Autism Unlimited… Leaving a gift in your Will to Autism Unlimited can help us build a brighter future for the children...

On: 23/11/23 5 minutes

Shutting Down - Kai

Shutting Down – Kai's Experience Sixteen-year-old Kai has ADHD and is autistic, non-binary and the proud titleholder of Teen Miss Diamond...

On: 21/11/23 3 minutes

Shutting Down - Mimi

Shutting Down – Mimi's Experience Unlike a ‘meltdown’, ‘shutdowns’ are more muted and discreet responses to...

On: 17/11/23 3 minutes

Shutting Down - Max

Shutting Down – Max's Experience Autistic people may experience lights, smells, and sounds differently to non-autistic people. Those...

On: 07/11/23 3 minutes

Shutting Down - Deborah

Shutting Down – Deborah's Experience When some autistic people feel extremely stressed or overwhelmed, they might respond by ‘shutting...

On: 07/11/23 3 minutes

Floating Focus - Ellie

Floating Focus - Ellie's Experience Many autistic people may have highly focused interests in particular areas, from TV shows to animals and...

On: 07/11/23 3 minutes

Floating Focus - Bella

Floating Focus - Bella's Experience “My autism…it affects me mentally more than anything. So sometimes I find it hard to concentrate....

On: 01/11/23 3 minutes

Floating Focus - Mimi

Floating Focus - Mimi's Experience For Mimi, staying focused and filtering out distractions can be a struggle. Her mind starts to drift away...

On: 01/11/23 3 minutes

Floating Focus - Holly

Floating Focus – Holly's Experience Some autistic people may find it difficult to focus on one thing for an extended period of time,...

On: 26/10/23 3 minutes

Stimming - Georgia

Stimming – Georgia's Experience When things get overwhelming, stimming can offer temporary relief for some autistic people. The repetitive...

On: 24/10/23 3 minutes

Stimming - Cayden

Stimming – Cayden's Experience Cayden has relied on stimming since a young age, scrunching and un-scrunching different items, such as...

On: 17/10/23 3 minutes

Stimming - Archie

Stimming - Archie's Experience Loud and unpredictable environments can be overwhelming for some autistic people, causing issues with sensory...

On: 17/10/23 3 minutes

Stimming - Tyler

Stimming - Tyler's Experience Stimming can be a source of comfort and enjoyment for many people, offering a way to regulate emotions and process...

On: 10/10/23 3 minutes

Non-Speaking - Billie and Rose

Non-Speaking Communication - Rose's Experience Some autistic people may face a delay in their use of spoken language, whilst others may not...

On: 06/10/23 3 minutes

Non-Speaking - Jamie and Max, Part 2

Non-Speaking Communication - Jamie and Max's Experience, Part 2 In a society that is built around spoken language, those who communicate differently...

On: 03/10/23 3 minutes

Non-Speaking - Jamie and Max, Part 1

Non-Speaking Communication - Jamie and Max's Experience, Part 1 Some autistic people are non-speaking, meaning they don’t use words when...

On: 02/10/23 4 minutes

Non-Speaking: A Therapist's Insight

The below blog shares a Speech and Language Therapist's insight into non-speaking communication and the different ways our therapy team support individuals...

On: 22/09/23 3 minutes

Sensory Sensitivities - Bella

Sensory Sensitivities – Bella's Experience Our surroundings are full of sensory information, but the way we interpret this information...

On: 21/09/23 5 minutes

Sensory Sensitivities - Sophia

Sensory Sensitivities - Sophia's Experience What does it mean to you? Sensory sensitivity can be defined as visual,...

On: 21/09/23 3 minutes

Sensory Sensitivities - Archie

Sensory Sensitivities – Archie's Experience Everyone’s sensory needs are different, for example, Archie’s sensory processing...

On: 21/09/23 3 minutes

Sensory Sensitivities - Georgia

Sensory Sensitivities – Georgia's Experience Georgia’s sensory sensitivities with different foods and materials can create challenges...

On: 19/09/23 3 minutes

Sensory Sensitivities - Lucas

Sensory Sensitivities – Lucas’ Experience Autistic people may experience sensory differences, which can include being over-sensitive...

On: 19/09/23 5 minutes

Sensory Sensitivities: A Therapist's Insight

The below blog shares a therapist's insight into sensory sensitivities and how they might impact individuals. **What are sensory sensitivities?...

On: 12/09/23 4 minutes

Masking - Mimi

Masking - Mimi's Experience For Mimi, masking comes with its positives and its negatives. Following a late diagnosis, she realised she had...

On: 12/09/23 3 minutes

Masking - Willow

Masking - Willow's Experience Willow is one of our wonderful Portfield School students, who shares a personal and open insight into their...

On: 07/09/23 3 minutes

Masking - Nevaeh

Masking - Nevaeh's Experience Nevaeh, Autism Unlimited’s Young Ambassador, is a very talented singer and songwriter who rose to fame...

On: 01/09/23 3 minutes

Masking - Ellie

Masking - Ellie's Experience Autistic people may have different ways of communicating and behaving – and these differences can make them...

On: 01/09/23 3 minutes

Masking - Becs

Masking - Becs' Experience Disguising parts of yourself and suppressing your identity can be draining and exhausting. For many autistic people,...

On: 21/07/23 3 minutes

Autistic students forge friendships across the channel

21 July 2023 We were thrilled to host young autistic students from France last month, and we now hope to collaborate on an exciting new exchange...

On: 05/05/23 3 minutes

Out at the shops - Summary

Deborah shared her experience at the supermarket in a series of co-produced animations, showcasing what it can be like for her autistic son in a shopping...

On: 03/05/23 3 minutes

Child's Perspective - Shopping

When people see a child making sounds, stimming, or behaving a little bit differently in a supermarket and other public environments, many are quick to...

On: 03/05/23 3 minutes

Supermarket ‘Quiet’ Hours

Some supermarkets have introduced ‘quieter hours’ to support a more accessible and relaxed in-store shopping experience for customers who may...

On: 03/05/23 5 minutes

Young autistic actor is aiming for the West End

A young student at Portfield School has advanced a step closer to his ambition of becoming an actor, by securing a full-time college drama place. Fenton...

On: 27/04/23 3 minutes

Deborah's Perspective - Shopping

As a parent, Deborah’s priority is making sure her children are safe and happy – she wants to keep them away from harm and do everything she...

On: 20/04/23 3 minutes

Deborah and her children's perspective

Following the previous animation, Deborah shares her commentary as she navigates a trip to the supermarket with her three children. Supermarkets can...

On: 12/04/23 3 minutes

Café's Perspective - Eating Out

Café environments can be busy and fast-paced, and for some autistic people, this offers little time to process all of the different sensory information....

On: 12/04/23 3 minutes

Eating at a café - Summary

Through a series of animations, James and Mark shared their lived experience when eating out at a café. They offered a glimpse into their reality...

On: 12/04/23 2 minutes

See it from my perspective - Out at the shops

A trip to the supermarket can be a challenging sensory experience for many autistic people - the combination of the bright artificial lighting, loud noises,...

On: 12/04/23 3 minutes

James' Perspective - Eating Out

James is an autistic adult who was also diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of fifteen. He has limited verbal communication, and can say a couple of verbal...

On: 12/04/23 3 minutes

Mark's Perspective - Eating Out

Mark is the proud father of James, and a staunch advocate for bringing about change for children, young people, and young adults with additional needs...

On: 03/04/23 3 minutes

James and Mark's perspective

In this follow-up animation, co-produced with James and his dad, we gain a greater insight into his experience at a café as an autistic adult with...

On: 22/03/23 3 minutes

See it from my perspective - Eating at a café

Going out to eat in cafes and restaurants can be challenging for some autistic people due to sensory processing differences. With large crowds, long waits,...

On: 22/03/23 4 minutes

Visit to the dentist - Summary

This past month, we shared some animations of a dental visit, featuring an autistic child, their parent, and a dental professional. They kindly shared...

On: 22/03/23 4 minutes

Robyn's Perspective - Dentist Visit

A visit to the dentist can be a cause of great stress and anxiety for many people. It can take years for someone to get comfortable enough to come into...

On: 22/03/23 4 minutes

Archie's Perspective - Dentist Visit

When Archie was born, we knew immediately that he was different. We didn’t know or understand what that difference was, we just knew. When Archie...

On: 20/03/23 4 minutes

Rebecca's Perspective - Dentist Visit

As a parent, taking your child to a dental appointment can be a daunting experience for the both of you. Rebecca is the proud mum of Archie, who is...

On: 13/03/23 2 minutes

Archie and Rebecca's perspective

Following our first animation, this new co-produced version features an insight into Archie and Rebecca’s perspective as they take a trip to the...

On: 06/03/23 2 minutes

See it from my perspective - Visit to the dentist

Listening to lived autism experiences is so important. They tell us a different perspective and give onlookers a chance to increase their understanding...

On: 14/02/23 3 minutes

Providing an accessible and inclusive website experience

Providing an accessible and inclusive website experience 14 Feb 2023 There are over 1 billion people worldwide who face barriers when...

On: 01/02/23 3 minutes

We are delighted to appoint four new Trustees

We are delighted to appoint four new Trustees 01 Feb 2023 We recently announced the appointment of four new Trustees who will play...

On: 10/01/23

Awesome Archie, supporting neurodiversity locally

Introducing Awesome Archie, a local non-profit organisation supporting neurodiversity at school and at home! 10 Jan 2023 We’re...

On: 15/12/22 8 minutes

Autistic reflections on the cervical screening experience

Autistic reflections on the cervical screening experience: What is it and why is it so important? The cervical screening...

On: 17/11/22 5 minutes

Breast Cancer Awareness Story

Introduction Finding the courage and determination to visit your doctor to talk about a problem that you’re facing is difficult. However,...

On: 04/11/22 3 minutes

Respect and Kindness

The joy of shopping – thanks to an amazing team Following my story about my son James and his trip to the dentist I would like to tell you...

On: 31/10/22 5 minutes

Finding the right environment made all the difference

Liam is my 14-year-old son who is a self-confessed geek and loves all things science related. He was born with cerebral palsy which can mean that he struggles...

On: 29/09/22 3 minutes

Therapist-turned-author’s bittersweet celebration

A Christchurch music therapist and researcher has told how the Ukrainian conflict has tinged the success of her first book’s publication with...

On: 13/09/22

Sensory Toys

My favourite sensory fidget toys. This post is the first of a series about my favourite sensory fidget toys. I’m not going to...

On: 09/09/22 3 minutes

Finley and Brodie's Friendship

Finley and Brodie are two of our Portfield School students who have struck up a heart-warming friendship after Brodie began to express an interest...

On: 07/09/22 5 minutes

Freddie's blog - Letter writing instructions

Letter Writing Instructions 1) Decide who you are going to write to, and address your letter to them. You can simply put the person’s name if you...

On: 07/09/22 8 minutes

Autistic Fiction by Autistic Authors – Young Adult Titles

Many autistic people will have read, or at least heard of, books like The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon, or The Rosie Project...

On: 06/09/22 8 minutes

My life might have been very different

The understanding, support and encouragement of others has made a huge difference to who I am today. Long before I received my autism diagnosis there...

On: 05/09/22

My first peer-support group.

I thought I would tell you about my first time at a peer-support group. I suppose this was a few months after my diagnosis, and I had not really had...

On: 25/08/22 4 minutes

Ethan secures a career with aerospace engineering firm

Ethan, one of our Futures Learners with a passion for engineering, was only four days into his work experience when aerospace engineering firm RHH...

On: 22/08/22 4 minutes

Check up, in the car park

My name is Mark, and I have an amazing son called James who just happens to be autistic. He was confirmed as autistic when he was two years old and at...

On: 22/08/22 6 minutes

Patience and understanding

Jennie Chapman, mum of Finley tells how visiting the dentist was made so much easier thanks to the patience and understanding of her dentist. My son...

On: 18/08/22 4 minutes

See Me, Support Me

My son, Liam, is a young adult with autism and intellectual disability. He is verbal, but is challenged by both receptive and expressive language and...

On: 18/08/22 2 minutes

Our new mobile coffee shop, the Brew Crew!

We are very excited to share our new mobile coffee shop, the Brew Crew! 30 Aug 2022 The Brew Crew is a coffee horsebox designed to...

On: 29/07/22 5 minutes

Jacob's Gadgets Gizmos & Autism

Meet 11-year-old Jacob, who has turned his talents and wish to help other autistic children into a thriving business. 4 Aug 2022 The...

On: 20/07/22 6 minutes

My train journey

A little understanding and kindness would have gone a long way My story begins with a flight into London Gatwick very early one morning from a...

On: 18/07/22 5 minutes

My autism, respect it

I just want my autism to be respected. Every five years or so I have the unenviable task of needing to re-confirm my autism to professionals in various...

On: 18/07/22 4 minutes

My sensory experiences

My grandson, Brooke is an autistic child who needs the sensory experience of touching and feeling things to help him learn and develop. This enables him...

On: 20/06/22 2 minutes

Introducing our first Child Ambassador

We are delighted to welcome on board Nevaeh, Autism Unlimited’s first Child Ambassador. 5 Jul 2022 Nevaeh, 12, who is autistic,...

On: 26/05/22 2 minutes

Pepper, Cayden, and Max's Stories

Pepper, Cayden, and Max are students at Portfield School. Here, they share an insight into their autism, hobbies, and experiences. Pepper enjoys hanging...

On: 28/04/22 5 minutes

Malcolm's Insight

Malcolm is currently the Chair of Trustees at Autism Unlimited, bringing a diversity of experience, passion and commitment to help the charity grow and...

On: 28/04/22 8 minutes

Stewart's Insight

Stewart is one of the assistant headteachers at Portfield School, with 20 years of teaching experience across a range of different schools. He shares his...

On: 20/04/22 15 minutes

Luke's Story

Luke is a governor at Portfield School, a carer to his mum, and works at a National Trust café. In addition to caring for his mum, who is physically...

On: 20/04/22 3 minutes

Nevaeh's Story

Nevaeh is a talented 12-year-old singer, and newly appointed child ambassador for Autism Unlimited, who produced a magical performance at the launch of...

On: 20/04/22 15 minutes

Patrick's Story

Diagnosed three years ago at the age of 53, Patrick now works as a specialist mentor for an autism charity in addition to mentoring undergraduate students...

On: 13/04/22 3 minutes

Futures Artist

Art allows a lot of people to express themselves in their own way, nurturing creativity, innovation and dialogue. It is commonly used as a therapeutic...

On: 23/03/22 3 minutes

Maddie's Story

Maddie has been a student at Portfield School for the past 5 years. Alongside her autism, she has Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), which makes daily...

On: 03/03/22 4 minutes

Deborah's Story

Deborah is an artist-in-residence at Portfield School, inspiring students to explore their creative side. While officially diagnosed at 41, she knew...

On: 28/02/22 4 minutes

Tyler's Story

Introducing Tyler - a sixth form student at Portfield School who shares his experiences with autism. Receiving an autism diagnosis can be a moment...

On: 28/02/22 4 minutes

Kai's Story

Kai is a dedicated army cadet and sixth form student at Portfield School, sharing his thoughts on his autism. He has mixed views on autism, noting...

On: 23/02/22 8 minutes

Archie's Story

‘Autism is a slightly different way of the brain functioning. I don’t think it means that you’re really any different to anyone else,...

On: 23/02/22 3 minutes

Crystal's Insight

Crystal is a Community Connector at the Chris Page Centre, providing information and support to autistic adults, children and their families. She offers...

On: 23/02/22 5 minutes

Robert's Story

Robert is a facilities administrator who has worked at Autism Unlimited for the past 8 and a half years. He was diagnosed with autism as a teenager....

On: 23/02/22 5 minutes

Dela's Insight

Dela is an area manager at Autism Unlimited, overseeing support to a number of individuals in the autistic community. Having worked in the health and social...

On: 23/02/22 5 minutes

Michael's Story

Meet Michael – an animal-loving Futures learner at Autism Unlimited, with a diagnosis of autism and ADHD. Futures is a learning programme that...

On: 14/02/22 8 minutes

Sophia's Story

"Autism in itself is not a negative, it is people’s lack of understanding and a lack of support that makes its impact so potentially damaging....

On: 01/02/22 4 minutes

Oliver's Story

Oliver is a 15 year old student at Portfield School with an autism diagnosis, dyspraxia and hypermobility. Discussing autism, he says, ‘Autism...

On: 01/02/22 5 minutes

Fenton's Story

Fenton is a 16 year old student at Portfield School, with an autism diagnosis and a talent for the performing arts. Diagnosed on his 3rd birthday,...

On: 21/01/22 2 minutes

The AU 92 in 92 Challenge

Five colleagues from Autism Unlimited’s Portfied School are taking on an unusual challenge 21 Jan 2022 Five colleagues from...

On: 21/01/22 3 minutes

Sarah's Insight

Sarah has been an ISL at Portfield School for the past 15 years, working closely with both the younger children and the sixth formers. She has been...

On: 16/12/21 3 minutes

Our Christmas Appeal – lending library of resources

Our Christmas Appeal – lending library of books and resources 16 December 21 Our Information and Support service provides vital...

On: 22/11/21 2 minutes

Autism Unlimited's pop up fundraising Christmas performance

Join us on 1 December at Christchurch Priory for a night of festive fun! 01 Nov 2021 Join us on 1 December at Christchurch Priory for...

On: 27/10/21 2 minutes

Hadrian’s Wall Trek for autism

Autism Unlimited has teamed up with three other regional autism charities to create this bespoke UK fundraising challenge. 14 Oct 2021 Autism...

On: 27/10/21 3 minutes

New eco-friendly ‘Roundhouse’

We are very happy to share our new eco Roundhouse with you, launched last week. 10 Sep 2021 Coinciding with the return of Portfield School...

On: 27/10/21 5 minutes

Our Autism Journey

Meet Jamie, mum and carer of two autistic boys, Max and Riley, who attend Portfield School. 9 Jun 2021 **Our Autism Journey – Jamie...

On: 27/10/21 4 minutes

Portfield School ‘egg-ceed’ expectations (Autism Awareness)

Last week students at Portfield School took part in a week of fundraising activities to mark World Autism Awareness Day, raising over £1,600!...

On: 27/10/21 3 minutes

“Accept Our Autism”

To mark World Autism Awareness Day we have launched an Amazon Wish List campaign. 2 Apr 2021 Following the success of our Christmas Wishes...

On: 27/10/21 3 minutes

We welcome first tenants to new supported living property.

Our brand-new supported living home in Christchurch has just opened its doors and welcomed the first two tenants. 1 Mar 2021 Tony and...

On: 22/10/21 8 minutes

My hospital experience

Dismissing my autism was the worst part of a hospital visit A relatively routine exploratory procedure at my local hospital turned into the appointment...

On: 01/02/24 3 minutes

Leave a legacy to Autism Unlimited

Leave a legacy to Autism Unlimited… Leaving a gift in your Will to Autism Unlimited can help us build a brighter future for the children...

On: 23/11/23 5 minutes

Shutting Down - Kai

Shutting Down – Kai's Experience Sixteen-year-old Kai has ADHD and is autistic, non-binary and the proud titleholder of Teen Miss Diamond...

On: 21/11/23 3 minutes

Shutting Down - Mimi

Shutting Down – Mimi's Experience Unlike a ‘meltdown’, ‘shutdowns’ are more muted and discreet responses to...

On: 17/11/23 3 minutes

Shutting Down - Max

Shutting Down – Max's Experience Autistic people may experience lights, smells, and sounds differently to non-autistic people. Those...

On: 07/11/23 3 minutes

Shutting Down - Deborah

Shutting Down – Deborah's Experience When some autistic people feel extremely stressed or overwhelmed, they might respond by ‘shutting...

On: 07/11/23 3 minutes

Floating Focus - Ellie

Floating Focus - Ellie's Experience Many autistic people may have highly focused interests in particular areas, from TV shows to animals and...

On: 07/11/23 3 minutes

Floating Focus - Bella

Floating Focus - Bella's Experience “My autism…it affects me mentally more than anything. So sometimes I find it hard to concentrate....

On: 01/11/23 3 minutes

Floating Focus - Mimi

Floating Focus - Mimi's Experience For Mimi, staying focused and filtering out distractions can be a struggle. Her mind starts to drift away...

On: 01/11/23 3 minutes

Floating Focus - Holly

Floating Focus – Holly's Experience Some autistic people may find it difficult to focus on one thing for an extended period of time,...

On: 26/10/23 3 minutes

Stimming - Georgia

Stimming – Georgia's Experience When things get overwhelming, stimming can offer temporary relief for some autistic people. The repetitive...

On: 24/10/23 3 minutes

Stimming - Cayden

Stimming – Cayden's Experience Cayden has relied on stimming since a young age, scrunching and un-scrunching different items, such as...

On: 17/10/23 3 minutes

Stimming - Archie

Stimming - Archie's Experience Loud and unpredictable environments can be overwhelming for some autistic people, causing issues with sensory...

On: 17/10/23 3 minutes

Stimming - Tyler

Stimming - Tyler's Experience Stimming can be a source of comfort and enjoyment for many people, offering a way to regulate emotions and process...

On: 10/10/23 3 minutes

Non-Speaking - Billie and Rose

Non-Speaking Communication - Rose's Experience Some autistic people may face a delay in their use of spoken language, whilst others may not...

On: 06/10/23 3 minutes

Non-Speaking - Jamie and Max, Part 2

Non-Speaking Communication - Jamie and Max's Experience, Part 2 In a society that is built around spoken language, those who communicate differently...

On: 03/10/23 3 minutes

Non-Speaking - Jamie and Max, Part 1

Non-Speaking Communication - Jamie and Max's Experience, Part 1 Some autistic people are non-speaking, meaning they don’t use words when...

On: 02/10/23 4 minutes

Non-Speaking: A Therapist's Insight

The below blog shares a Speech and Language Therapist's insight into non-speaking communication and the different ways our therapy team support individuals...

On: 22/09/23 3 minutes

Sensory Sensitivities - Bella

Sensory Sensitivities – Bella's Experience Our surroundings are full of sensory information, but the way we interpret this information...

On: 21/09/23 5 minutes

Sensory Sensitivities - Sophia

Sensory Sensitivities - Sophia's Experience What does it mean to you? Sensory sensitivity can be defined as visual,...

On: 21/09/23 3 minutes

Sensory Sensitivities - Archie

Sensory Sensitivities – Archie's Experience Everyone’s sensory needs are different, for example, Archie’s sensory processing...

On: 21/09/23 3 minutes

Sensory Sensitivities - Georgia

Sensory Sensitivities – Georgia's Experience Georgia’s sensory sensitivities with different foods and materials can create challenges...

On: 19/09/23 3 minutes

Sensory Sensitivities - Lucas

Sensory Sensitivities – Lucas’ Experience Autistic people may experience sensory differences, which can include being over-sensitive...

On: 19/09/23 5 minutes

Sensory Sensitivities: A Therapist's Insight

The below blog shares a therapist's insight into sensory sensitivities and how they might impact individuals. **What are sensory sensitivities?...

On: 12/09/23 4 minutes

Masking - Mimi

Masking - Mimi's Experience For Mimi, masking comes with its positives and its negatives. Following a late diagnosis, she realised she had...

On: 12/09/23 3 minutes

Masking - Willow

Masking - Willow's Experience Willow is one of our wonderful Portfield School students, who shares a personal and open insight into their...

On: 07/09/23 3 minutes

Masking - Nevaeh

Masking - Nevaeh's Experience Nevaeh, Autism Unlimited’s Young Ambassador, is a very talented singer and songwriter who rose to fame...

On: 01/09/23 3 minutes

Masking - Ellie

Masking - Ellie's Experience Autistic people may have different ways of communicating and behaving – and these differences can make them...

On: 01/09/23 3 minutes

Masking - Becs

Masking - Becs' Experience Disguising parts of yourself and suppressing your identity can be draining and exhausting. For many autistic people,...

On: 21/07/23 3 minutes

Autistic students forge friendships across the channel

21 July 2023 We were thrilled to host young autistic students from France last month, and we now hope to collaborate on an exciting new exchange...

On: 05/05/23 3 minutes

Out at the shops - Summary

Deborah shared her experience at the supermarket in a series of co-produced animations, showcasing what it can be like for her autistic son in a shopping...

On: 03/05/23 3 minutes

Child's Perspective - Shopping

When people see a child making sounds, stimming, or behaving a little bit differently in a supermarket and other public environments, many are quick to...

On: 03/05/23 3 minutes

Supermarket ‘Quiet’ Hours

Some supermarkets have introduced ‘quieter hours’ to support a more accessible and relaxed in-store shopping experience for customers who may...

On: 03/05/23 5 minutes

Young autistic actor is aiming for the West End

A young student at Portfield School has advanced a step closer to his ambition of becoming an actor, by securing a full-time college drama place. Fenton...

On: 27/04/23 3 minutes

Deborah's Perspective - Shopping

As a parent, Deborah’s priority is making sure her children are safe and happy – she wants to keep them away from harm and do everything she...

On: 20/04/23 3 minutes

Deborah and her children's perspective

Following the previous animation, Deborah shares her commentary as she navigates a trip to the supermarket with her three children. Supermarkets can...

On: 12/04/23 3 minutes

Café's Perspective - Eating Out

Café environments can be busy and fast-paced, and for some autistic people, this offers little time to process all of the different sensory information....

On: 12/04/23 3 minutes

Eating at a café - Summary

Through a series of animations, James and Mark shared their lived experience when eating out at a café. They offered a glimpse into their reality...

On: 12/04/23 2 minutes

See it from my perspective - Out at the shops

A trip to the supermarket can be a challenging sensory experience for many autistic people - the combination of the bright artificial lighting, loud noises,...

On: 12/04/23 3 minutes

James' Perspective - Eating Out

James is an autistic adult who was also diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of fifteen. He has limited verbal communication, and can say a couple of verbal...

On: 12/04/23 3 minutes

Mark's Perspective - Eating Out

Mark is the proud father of James, and a staunch advocate for bringing about change for children, young people, and young adults with additional needs...

On: 03/04/23 3 minutes

James and Mark's perspective

In this follow-up animation, co-produced with James and his dad, we gain a greater insight into his experience at a café as an autistic adult with...

On: 22/03/23 3 minutes

See it from my perspective - Eating at a café

Going out to eat in cafes and restaurants can be challenging for some autistic people due to sensory processing differences. With large crowds, long waits,...

On: 22/03/23 4 minutes

Visit to the dentist - Summary

This past month, we shared some animations of a dental visit, featuring an autistic child, their parent, and a dental professional. They kindly shared...

On: 22/03/23 4 minutes

Robyn's Perspective - Dentist Visit

A visit to the dentist can be a cause of great stress and anxiety for many people. It can take years for someone to get comfortable enough to come into...

On: 22/03/23 4 minutes

Archie's Perspective - Dentist Visit

When Archie was born, we knew immediately that he was different. We didn’t know or understand what that difference was, we just knew. When Archie...

On: 20/03/23 4 minutes

Rebecca's Perspective - Dentist Visit

As a parent, taking your child to a dental appointment can be a daunting experience for the both of you. Rebecca is the proud mum of Archie, who is...

On: 13/03/23 2 minutes

Archie and Rebecca's perspective

Following our first animation, this new co-produced version features an insight into Archie and Rebecca’s perspective as they take a trip to the...

On: 06/03/23 2 minutes

See it from my perspective - Visit to the dentist

Listening to lived autism experiences is so important. They tell us a different perspective and give onlookers a chance to increase their understanding...

On: 14/02/23 3 minutes

Providing an accessible and inclusive website experience

Providing an accessible and inclusive website experience 14 Feb 2023 There are over 1 billion people worldwide who face barriers when...

On: 01/02/23 3 minutes

We are delighted to appoint four new Trustees

We are delighted to appoint four new Trustees 01 Feb 2023 We recently announced the appointment of four new Trustees who will play...

On: 10/01/23

Awesome Archie, supporting neurodiversity locally

Introducing Awesome Archie, a local non-profit organisation supporting neurodiversity at school and at home! 10 Jan 2023 We’re...

On: 15/12/22 8 minutes

Autistic reflections on the cervical screening experience

Autistic reflections on the cervical screening experience: What is it and why is it so important? The cervical screening...

On: 17/11/22 5 minutes

Breast Cancer Awareness Story

Introduction Finding the courage and determination to visit your doctor to talk about a problem that you’re facing is difficult. However,...

On: 04/11/22 3 minutes

Respect and Kindness

The joy of shopping – thanks to an amazing team Following my story about my son James and his trip to the dentist I would like to tell you...

On: 31/10/22 5 minutes

Finding the right environment made all the difference

Liam is my 14-year-old son who is a self-confessed geek and loves all things science related. He was born with cerebral palsy which can mean that he struggles...

On: 29/09/22 3 minutes

Therapist-turned-author’s bittersweet celebration

A Christchurch music therapist and researcher has told how the Ukrainian conflict has tinged the success of her first book’s publication with...

On: 13/09/22

Sensory Toys

My favourite sensory fidget toys. This post is the first of a series about my favourite sensory fidget toys. I’m not going to...

On: 09/09/22 3 minutes

Finley and Brodie's Friendship

Finley and Brodie are two of our Portfield School students who have struck up a heart-warming friendship after Brodie began to express an interest...

On: 07/09/22 5 minutes

Freddie's blog - Letter writing instructions

Letter Writing Instructions 1) Decide who you are going to write to, and address your letter to them. You can simply put the person’s name if you...

On: 07/09/22 8 minutes

Autistic Fiction by Autistic Authors – Young Adult Titles

Many autistic people will have read, or at least heard of, books like The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon, or The Rosie Project...

On: 06/09/22 8 minutes

My life might have been very different

The understanding, support and encouragement of others has made a huge difference to who I am today. Long before I received my autism diagnosis there...

On: 05/09/22

My first peer-support group.

I thought I would tell you about my first time at a peer-support group. I suppose this was a few months after my diagnosis, and I had not really had...

On: 25/08/22 4 minutes

Ethan secures a career with aerospace engineering firm

Ethan, one of our Futures Learners with a passion for engineering, was only four days into his work experience when aerospace engineering firm RHH...

On: 22/08/22 4 minutes

Check up, in the car park

My name is Mark, and I have an amazing son called James who just happens to be autistic. He was confirmed as autistic when he was two years old and at...

On: 22/08/22 6 minutes

Patience and understanding

Jennie Chapman, mum of Finley tells how visiting the dentist was made so much easier thanks to the patience and understanding of her dentist. My son...

On: 18/08/22 4 minutes

See Me, Support Me

My son, Liam, is a young adult with autism and intellectual disability. He is verbal, but is challenged by both receptive and expressive language and...

On: 18/08/22 2 minutes

Our new mobile coffee shop, the Brew Crew!

We are very excited to share our new mobile coffee shop, the Brew Crew! 30 Aug 2022 The Brew Crew is a coffee horsebox designed to...

On: 29/07/22 5 minutes

Jacob's Gadgets Gizmos & Autism

Meet 11-year-old Jacob, who has turned his talents and wish to help other autistic children into a thriving business. 4 Aug 2022 The...

On: 20/07/22 6 minutes

My train journey

A little understanding and kindness would have gone a long way My story begins with a flight into London Gatwick very early one morning from a...

On: 18/07/22 5 minutes

My autism, respect it

I just want my autism to be respected. Every five years or so I have the unenviable task of needing to re-confirm my autism to professionals in various...

On: 18/07/22 4 minutes

My sensory experiences

My grandson, Brooke is an autistic child who needs the sensory experience of touching and feeling things to help him learn and develop. This enables him...

On: 20/06/22 2 minutes

Introducing our first Child Ambassador

We are delighted to welcome on board Nevaeh, Autism Unlimited’s first Child Ambassador. 5 Jul 2022 Nevaeh, 12, who is autistic,...

On: 26/05/22 2 minutes

Pepper, Cayden, and Max's Stories

Pepper, Cayden, and Max are students at Portfield School. Here, they share an insight into their autism, hobbies, and experiences. Pepper enjoys hanging...

On: 28/04/22 5 minutes

Malcolm's Insight

Malcolm is currently the Chair of Trustees at Autism Unlimited, bringing a diversity of experience, passion and commitment to help the charity grow and...

On: 28/04/22 8 minutes

Stewart's Insight

Stewart is one of the assistant headteachers at Portfield School, with 20 years of teaching experience across a range of different schools. He shares his...

On: 20/04/22 15 minutes

Luke's Story

Luke is a governor at Portfield School, a carer to his mum, and works at a National Trust café. In addition to caring for his mum, who is physically...

On: 20/04/22 3 minutes

Nevaeh's Story

Nevaeh is a talented 12-year-old singer, and newly appointed child ambassador for Autism Unlimited, who produced a magical performance at the launch of...

On: 20/04/22 15 minutes

Patrick's Story

Diagnosed three years ago at the age of 53, Patrick now works as a specialist mentor for an autism charity in addition to mentoring undergraduate students...

On: 13/04/22 3 minutes

Futures Artist

Art allows a lot of people to express themselves in their own way, nurturing creativity, innovation and dialogue. It is commonly used as a therapeutic...

On: 23/03/22 3 minutes

Maddie's Story

Maddie has been a student at Portfield School for the past 5 years. Alongside her autism, she has Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), which makes daily...

On: 03/03/22 4 minutes

Deborah's Story

Deborah is an artist-in-residence at Portfield School, inspiring students to explore their creative side. While officially diagnosed at 41, she knew...

On: 28/02/22 4 minutes

Tyler's Story

Introducing Tyler - a sixth form student at Portfield School who shares his experiences with autism. Receiving an autism diagnosis can be a moment...

On: 28/02/22 4 minutes

Kai's Story

Kai is a dedicated army cadet and sixth form student at Portfield School, sharing his thoughts on his autism. He has mixed views on autism, noting...

On: 23/02/22 8 minutes

Archie's Story

‘Autism is a slightly different way of the brain functioning. I don’t think it means that you’re really any different to anyone else,...

On: 23/02/22 3 minutes

Crystal's Insight

Crystal is a Community Connector at the Chris Page Centre, providing information and support to autistic adults, children and their families. She offers...

On: 23/02/22 5 minutes

Robert's Story

Robert is a facilities administrator who has worked at Autism Unlimited for the past 8 and a half years. He was diagnosed with autism as a teenager....

On: 23/02/22 5 minutes

Dela's Insight

Dela is an area manager at Autism Unlimited, overseeing support to a number of individuals in the autistic community. Having worked in the health and social...

On: 23/02/22 5 minutes

Michael's Story

Meet Michael – an animal-loving Futures learner at Autism Unlimited, with a diagnosis of autism and ADHD. Futures is a learning programme that...

On: 14/02/22 8 minutes

Sophia's Story

"Autism in itself is not a negative, it is people’s lack of understanding and a lack of support that makes its impact so potentially damaging....

On: 01/02/22 4 minutes

Oliver's Story

Oliver is a 15 year old student at Portfield School with an autism diagnosis, dyspraxia and hypermobility. Discussing autism, he says, ‘Autism...

On: 01/02/22 5 minutes

Fenton's Story

Fenton is a 16 year old student at Portfield School, with an autism diagnosis and a talent for the performing arts. Diagnosed on his 3rd birthday,...

On: 21/01/22 2 minutes

The AU 92 in 92 Challenge

Five colleagues from Autism Unlimited’s Portfied School are taking on an unusual challenge 21 Jan 2022 Five colleagues from...

On: 21/01/22 3 minutes

Sarah's Insight

Sarah has been an ISL at Portfield School for the past 15 years, working closely with both the younger children and the sixth formers. She has been...

On: 16/12/21 3 minutes

Our Christmas Appeal – lending library of resources

Our Christmas Appeal – lending library of books and resources 16 December 21 Our Information and Support service provides vital...

On: 22/11/21 2 minutes

Autism Unlimited's pop up fundraising Christmas performance

Join us on 1 December at Christchurch Priory for a night of festive fun! 01 Nov 2021 Join us on 1 December at Christchurch Priory for...

On: 27/10/21 2 minutes

Hadrian’s Wall Trek for autism

Autism Unlimited has teamed up with three other regional autism charities to create this bespoke UK fundraising challenge. 14 Oct 2021 Autism...

On: 27/10/21 3 minutes

New eco-friendly ‘Roundhouse’

We are very happy to share our new eco Roundhouse with you, launched last week. 10 Sep 2021 Coinciding with the return of Portfield School...

On: 27/10/21 5 minutes

Our Autism Journey

Meet Jamie, mum and carer of two autistic boys, Max and Riley, who attend Portfield School. 9 Jun 2021 **Our Autism Journey – Jamie...

On: 27/10/21 4 minutes

Portfield School ‘egg-ceed’ expectations (Autism Awareness)

Last week students at Portfield School took part in a week of fundraising activities to mark World Autism Awareness Day, raising over £1,600!...

On: 27/10/21 3 minutes

“Accept Our Autism”

To mark World Autism Awareness Day we have launched an Amazon Wish List campaign. 2 Apr 2021 Following the success of our Christmas Wishes...

On: 27/10/21 3 minutes

We welcome first tenants to new supported living property.

Our brand-new supported living home in Christchurch has just opened its doors and welcomed the first two tenants. 1 Mar 2021 Tony and...

On: 22/10/21 8 minutes

My hospital experience

Dismissing my autism was the worst part of a hospital visit A relatively routine exploratory procedure at my local hospital turned into the appointment...