RAISING AWARENESS

WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS DAY 2025

ELLIOT

My name is Elliott. Did you know that mash and gravy is the best thing to eat for breakfast? I will try chicken nuggets, only if its McDonald’s. I know the difference!

I am happy, cheeky and energetic and never stop. My favourite hobby is train watching. I have to see at least 2 trains a day! I also know how to search for the trains on YouTube typing in their unique numbers!

Wellies are my footwear of choice, I love to splash in puddles. I just love water, the same as Dylan.

I love cakes, but not for the cake. I love the icing! I also love kinder eggs, but not for the chocolate, or the egg or the toy. I just like to open them.

I like to help feed the chickens and goats, at least I think it is helping. I need routine, and can become unsettled if it is lost. I like to know where I am going before a journey, type the place in google for me and show me a picture!

I am trying to find my words and they are coming. I use my proloquo2go to assist.

I still love cuddles and kisses before I go to bed!

DYLAN

My name is Dylan. I like my bed. It is too peopley outside. I much prefer peace and quiet. I find sound overwhelming and will wear my ear defenders. I dance my hands when I am happy and I stamp my feet and stim on my chest to acknowledge. I can become upset when I am hungry and can get mad when it is too loud and busy (only one person in my bedroom please). I am still learning how to regulate my emotions. One day at a time and I will get there!

I am nonverbal but I am the loudest in the house. I love going to school, but when I am at home I love to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins and Bee Bright DVDs.

I get dragged out on walks most days, if it is flat it is not too bad, down hill is great but stop making me walk up hills. Once I can see the car again, I am off.

My favourite place is home! I love my PS3! Not to play the games, but to watch my favourite DVDs! I love my iPad too, but will happily not use it if I am on the play park swing! My favourite food is Chicken Nuggets and Chips, but I have to eat Shepherds pie for the vegetables.

I love attention, tickles, kisses and cuddles but only on my own terms.

PJ TAYLOR

My name is PJ Taylor (Paul James Taylor). I am a singer songwriter, Hi-NRG performer who brings so much life to the stage.

I am also a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community and an advocate for neurodiversity.

I have released two albums, ten singles and has been consistently on the LGBTQ Music Charts.

To me it’s not just about being a performer, it’s also about the message that I put out there for Pride and other neurodivergents like myself!

I have faced many challenges and I have made a few losses in my life due to being misunderstood by others, but the one thing I never did was stop trying! I just kept going! Never stop trying, because you too can achieve amazing things in life!

Dance to your own beat, even if nobody dances with you!

NATALIE AND NADIA

Twinnies living with ADHD and AUTISM and trying to balance two worlds that are in constant opposition.

Living with ADHD we have impulsivity, spontaneity and we craving stimulation, but we also thrive on routine predictability and sensory regulation living with Autism. We face many challenges such as emotional dysregulation, rejection sensitivity and sleep disturbances and internalised hyperactivity, but it has also opened the door for us to “shine our strengths”!

Our brains have to work overtime. We need lists of lists of lists. Lists everywhere! But one of the beautiful things we have discovered about our brains is a contradiction!

We have the most amazing husbands and beautiful babies, incredible family and friends (and the BEE UNIQUE tribe!) who have accepted, supported us, and not judged us for our own neurodivergent ways. We are so grateful to have a truly incredible network of people..and our network is growing!!!

Looking back, we did feel misunderstood, we masked to fit in and so much more…..the untreated ADHD and managing our autism has led us to develop PTSD after experiencing trauma where our needs and wants were not understood or accommodated pre-diagnosis.

But on a positive, we are still the sensitive, empathetic, patient, hardworking, deep thinking, creative, fun-loving, compassionate and determined twinnies! And upon diagnosis, we now fully understand and accept ourselves and we are super proud of each other and our own achievements!

We achieve an insane amount in a very short time frame, yet fail to assess how long tasks will take and often run late! The joys of time blindness..!

We can hyper-focus on things that interest us to the exclusion of all else. (Not always a positive!) While hyper-focus can be a wonderful thing such as running 45 races in one year or organising over 1,000 activities for the charity…it can also be a double edged sword. We often forget to eat, drink or perform other daily activities…

Whatever we do, we attack it with 1000% and are somewhat perfectionists. We always do things to the very best of our abilities. For us, there is no such thing as a quick project or doing something by halves, even if we want to , we will often deep dive into things!

Although we are often too empathetic and people pleasers (yes, we are learning to say “no” and setting our boundaries!) But we try to do the best we can for ourselves and others – we love to help everyone and anyone where we can!

And so it continues….

We find that bringing a balanced perspective and considering the positives alongside the challenges helps with our mindset and reminds us that neurodivergent brain is unique and brilliant in its own way!

If you find yourself drawn into focusing on the challenges and struggles, take some time to think about what’s on the side of that.

Our struggles can not always be erased with positive thinking – its about recognising and managing the negatives well!

Be kind to yourself and others. Know that with every challenge being a neurodivergent, brings a positive aspect. Remember your strengths, embrace your unique perspectives, and know you are not alone! Your neurodiversity is a gift and your journey is valuable and meaningful! You deserve support, understanding and acceptance.

Love to you all

WILLIAM

My name is William. I am 5 years old.

I was diagnosed with Autism when I was 3, I also have Severe Learning Disabilities and Global Developmental Delay and I am Non Verbal!

I am a happy little boy who loves to make models and everything has to be symmetrical otherwise I get really upset.

I communicate through hand led gestures and makaton which I am getting really good at. Even though I cannot speak I am very very loud!

I love to make dens and play with my 3 brothers. I am starting to tolerate other children around me at school!

My mammy is my biggest supporter and tells me I make her proud every day!

LOGAN

Hello, My name is Logan and I am the cheekiest 4 year old you’ve ever met, I was diagnosed with autism at the age of 4.

I am such a happy little boy who never knows when to stop and slow down.

My favourite thing at the minute is Bluey. I also love swimming and water and enjoy my swimming lessons every week.

I am in preschool in Nursery soon to be starting school in September and every week I am showing the everyone what a clever little boy I am!

I love being outdoors running around

Although sometimes I get very overwhelmed, My mummy and daddy say that I am the most caring, funniest little person they have ever met and I make the beyond proud every single day

LOUIE-GEORGE

Hi, my name is Louie-George and I am 7 years old.

I am a Gestalt Language Processor who
speaks in the most detailed scripts.

There is nothing I don’t know about animals and dinosaurs. I may even be ‘The World’s Next David Attenborough’!

I never go anywhere without my donkey figure and Dragon Teddy called Elliott. They keep me safe.

I give the Best Hugs!

I try my hardest Everyday And my family is Forever Proud of Me.

WYATT

Hi my name is Wyatt, I am 6 years old and have Autism, ARFID and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.

I can tell you the alphabet in at least 5 different languages… including Russian, Japanese and Greek.

My favourite things to do are recording videos and sounds and playing them back, playing on “Sprunki” and re-coding games so I can always win!

I do not like the hoover or those nasty hand dryers in toilets! Dry with tissue paper, there really is no need for those loud things! I don’t like the hairdressers either (hairdryers are not my favourite) even though my hair annoys me.

I love my routine and my favourite food is “Quavers Walkers”

My favourite person in the world is my big sister Ava!

JOESEPH

My name is Joseph and I am 11 years old.

I love my family and am a very good big brother to Sophie although she winds me up!

I have a fantastic memory and love cars and maps. I am so good at directions I help my mum out when she’s driving us places.

I love pizza, red Doritos and blue Pringles! I don’t like chocolate, sweets, cake or ice cream.

I can’t wait to go to secondary school in September! I have grown so much that i am now taller than quite a few teachers at school!

I love Minecraft, Lego Cars especially the new Formula 1 ones, Trucker Tim and the A66 (it has to be east bound from Penrith though!)

I love the time I spend with 4EDEN, especially going on the trips in the holidays and when we go to Giannis for tea. I also love playing the drum at Sunbeams

TOMMY

Hello, My name is Tommy and I am the cheekiest 7 year old you’ve ever met, I was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3

I am such a happy little boy who never knows when to stop and slow down

My favourite thing at the minute is learning about the world, I know all the countries and can find them on a globe, I can tell you all the flags and which landmark is in what county

I am in year 2 at school and now I am in specialist provision I am thriving in every aspect, Showing the world what a clever little boy I am!

I love being outdoors running around a park especially going on the big swings as I have now learned how to use them!

Although sometimes I get very overwhelmed, My mummy and daddy say that I am the most caring, funniest little person they have ever met and I make the beyond proud every single day

ARIA

My name is Aria and I am 4 years old. I have a big sister Serena and a little brother Zach who I like to play with. I was born smiling and have never stopped.

I don’t like kisses or giving cuddles unless its on my terms. I show my affection through my happy smiles. I do however love to snuggle to my mammy just before I fall asleep.

I chew my sleeves or pinch when I feel overwhelmed. I am comfortable around people that I know. It took me a little while to settle at school. I am quiet in the school environment and feel better when I am in a small group setting. I have two friends at school who are both boys that look after me. I am the smallest in my class. I like to eat the same foods at home but have achieved a new milestone by eating school dinners now. My mammy and daddy no longer have to bring a flask in of my favourite noodles (my safe food).

When I am at home, you will hear my voice before you see me. When I am feeling overwhelmed, my voice gets louder. I don’t usually cry but I laugh hysterically as a way to self regulate my emotions. I like to jump, run and bounce as I am very energetic!

I love crafting and I am very good at colouring in! I like to point out to letter and words. I love watching my pink iPad – My favourite programmes are Creature Cases and Bluey.

I love getting new toys to play with as I easily get bored and need to be entertained 24/7. I am a free spirit! I live near a field where I can run round freely.

I love to dress up, wear jewellery and wear anything sparkly!

I am very loved and know that my family love me just the way I am.

ANNABELLE

Hi, my name is Annabelle and I attend a specialist school. I have Autism with associated conditions and require support 24/7.

I have been in and out of hospital with my seizures but I try my best to stay happy.

I am a gentle, smiley, friendly kind girl who loves to help others.

I love to play with my reborn & sensory toys. I like to go to the sensory room to see all the illuminating colours and textures.

I have recently joined BEE UNIQUE Superstars Dance and I have taken part on the stage performances. I am happy that I came away with a medal and a certificate.

I have joined BEE UNIQUE FC Football and love running around freely on the pitch. I go to a lot of BEE UNIQUE Sessions as it’s a place where I can be myself.

I wear my ear defenders when it gets too noisy.

My family love me just the way I am and they are proud of me.

AMANDA

Hi everyone, my name is Amanda and I am a mummy to 5 children. I have autism and I struggle with change of routine.

I do have daily struggles but I try my best to do the best that I can. Life is busy and I do feel like I am always on the go. I like to help my friends as best as I can. I consider myself to be very friendly and kind.

To escape from the hustle and bustle of life. I like to go to Bingo to have that ‘me time’. All my children are important to me. I have always wanted a big family. I have Annabelle who requires 24/7 carer and has autism. She has been in and out of hospital with seizures. This can be difficult for us as a family but I will always do my best to remain positive.

KIRAH

My Name is Kirah, I am 26 years old and I live for animals, especially Labradors and highland cows. I have 2 labradors myself and my mum has one too.

I wasn’t diagnosed until I was an adult because I was so good at masking while I was at school, that is until my world crashed at 15 years old and this has caused other issues such as Complex PTSD. This caused Autism burnout for many years and I am just starting to get out a bit more now, with the help of my mam and Therapy.

I now love going on adventures with my mam and our dogs.

I love to collect and read most kinds of romance books, especially fantasy and dark romance. I do a lot of ARC reading for many authors and I am also in the street team some famous romance authors.

I see nothing wrong with having multiple copies of the same books, just with different covers, or sprayed edges. My favourite books are A Court of thorn and roses series, or Ever King & Ever Queen by LJ Andrew’s. But my favourite Author has to be Hannah Cowan who I was sooo excited to meet last year in Edinburgh.

I also love going to Disneyland Paris and meeting the characters, and will happily spend all day in the queue to see the princesses. My favourite is Aurora and has been since I was a small child

HUNTER

Hi my name’s Hunter, I’m 6 years old, 7 in July

I love going swimming and going on the water slides

My favourite swimming pool is Centre Parcs

I love cuddles and snuggles

I enjoy eating my baguettes and even feed myself fruit pouches at school

My favourite TV channels are Sky Kids, Mooshi, ITV+1, Channel 5 and E4Extra

I love my class and going on the school bus with all my friends

I love playing on my meta quest headset and going on rollercoasters

I communicate through speaking and timetables/pecs boards. Everyday my communication is getting better and better

I love sitting on the couch with my phones, kindles and iPad and having them all next to me, along with full control of the tv and remotes

I am loved very much and my family are so so proud of me daily.

SERENA

My name is Serena and I am 10 years old. I am autistic, happy, smiley, sensitive, quiet, kind and caring. Cuddles comes everywhere with me and waits patiently in the car for me when I attend school.

My favourite hobby is playing football.I am part of the pan disability BEE UNIQUE FC team and we have lots of fun training every week and playing tournaments. I am good at football and love to play Roblox too.

I love microwave chips and pasta. I don’t eat colourful foods unless they are chocolate m&ms. I am very sensitive to strong smells and go upstairs if mammy and daddy are cooking something that is too strong for me. I struggle going to a farm park because I don’t like the smell of animals. Mammy knows I quickly run past all the animals like a cheetah.

I have a phobia of dogs, I can’t go in houses with dogs. I have managed to walk past dogs on the lead but my brain gets overwhelmed when I see a dog not on the lead. This makes me hysterical and upset. Mummy and Daddy carry me and give me big cuddles.

When I am happy and excited, I stim and bounce around like tigger. I like to have everything in its place. I have to follow my own routine, I make my own bed every morning before school and my cupboards are very tidy. I get overwhelmed when there are too much stuff on my shelves and in drawers. I like everything spaced out and aligned and nobody is allowed in my room.

I am very fussy with what I wear, I don’t own any dresses and I wore a suit for my aunty Nad and Uncle Dave’s wedding. I like my hair short, the shorter the better.

I wear ear defenders when it gets too noisy. I am very good at maths, listening and following rules and instructions.

I don’t sleep anywhere over night. My safe place is being at home with my Mammy, Daddy, Aria, Zach and Cuddles