Halloween can be a really tricky time for our autistic loved ones.
We at Awesome Archie have compiled a few tricks ( and treats) to help you on your way….see what we did there?!
Please simply click on the link below to find out lots of hints and tips to have an AWESOME Halloween!!
https://awesomearchienonprofit.my.canva.site/
Have a spooktacular time
Rebecca and Archie x
So our regular readers will remember that it wasn’t so long ago that Archie was in hospital. Now, being neurodivergent means that we are very regular visitors to the NHS children’s services but this one was a tad tougher.
Archie had to have his first surgery and so we had to get ourselves prepared.
Like so many autistic people, Archie finds the unknown extremely frightening. This anxiety then impacts his eating , which effects his bowel meds, his sleep is disturbed, his school life is then impacted and our home life has to become more insular to balance things out.
Where the majority of people can put their worries to a back burner, Archie was anxious about his surgery for 6 whole months. Its what he thought about, talked about and researched about 24/7!
This sparked an idea in my mind to not only support Arch but to help kids like him too!
We decided to write our 5th book “Awesome Archie has Surgery” which we dedicated to the Bearwood ward for their outstanding care throughout Archie’s stay. This lead to the book being picked up by United hospitals Dorset to support not only the neurodivergent children in their care, but to support the enormous fundraising efforts of the BEACH appeal.
Not only that, but the lovely Harry Redknapp agreed to sign three copies of our book to help with the fundraising efforts. We believe that the UHD will hold an auction to raise funds, but final plans haven’t been made yet.
We must say a HUGE thank you to Harry for giving us so much of his valuable time. We are so grateful for all you do to support kids like Arch. THANKYOU!
We will keep you posted with all the details moving forward but please find attached a link to the lovely message that harry left for us and the fun we have had filming for the fundraising page š
What a fantastic weekend we have just had.
We are just back from the tes SEND show in the London business design center in Islington. There is so much to go through so be braced š
“tes” is the UK’s leading SEND show dedicated to SEND content, and specialist SEND suppliers. Its the perfect opportunity for people like me to elevate my learning and source those resources that make a difference to the SENDĀ children that we proudly support. Over the two day exhibition we had access to…
42 CPD-certified seminarsĀ fromĀ leaders in theĀ SENDĀ communityĀ
SEND Leadership SummitĀ – an immersive all day conference for senior educators toĀ learn andĀ collaborate
3 Free to attend theatresĀ showcasing new and innovativeĀ products and services
Over 100 exhibitorsĀ – including companies you won’t seeĀ anywhere else!
The show attracts visitors from a wide range of roles across the public, non- profits ( like us) and the private sectors from early years, primary, secondary, FE, special schools, Pupil Referral Units, local authorities and more.
I spent the entire time talking to the most interesting, educated and empathetic people. We were given permission to record them and share their products and important work on our vlog. Click here to view ā” https://youtu.be/LjZMs5gPh-Y
We have so many recommendations on the vlog, but here are some details of some of the people that we feel are more relevant for our schools, families and readers.
The SENDcast is a one-stop-shop for SEND content, with information all in one place for teachers, parents and anyone else supporting children or young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. Keep up to date with best practice, policy changes and improve your knowledge around SEND with our free weekly podcast and CPD online training sessions.
Having worked with thousands of schools, the B Squared Team understand the challenges professionals working in SEND face. We created The SENDcast to support teachers, other professionals and parents.Ā
We want to say a huge thanks to Dale and Simon for taking the time to talk to us. Archie I cant wait to be on your podcast in the near future and we would HIGHLY recommend SEND cast! https://thesendcast.com/
Connections in Mind are a family of organisations that are committed to raising awareness of executive functions. The partnership is made up ofĀ Connections in MindĀ Coaching, Connected Minds Parenting,Ā THE CODE, andĀ Connections in Mind Outreach.
Victoria Bagnall, co founder and managing director, spoke to us about the school training that her and her team provide. Thanks so much for all you do and keep up the AWESOME work. Click here for booking details ā”
Smartbox create assistive technology for disabled people who experience difficulty with speech, to communicate and live more independently.
Grid ( what Jay was showing us here) is used by children and adults with communication difficulties across the world, to have a voice and live and learn more independently. Take a look here ā¬
To be honest, I could go on and on.
THANKYOU tes and to all of the fantastic participants , we are refreshed, re-educated and raring to go !!!
Wow, what a few weeks…. lets get into it!
You will notice that our blogs tend to be monthly these days. This is because our diary is full and we are ensuring that our Vlogs and social media support content is updated daily. This means that we can be a quick refence “on the go” for those who may be in need but, as you can imagine, it takes up a fair bit of time. Do please follow us on all of our socials for “real time” Awesome Archie content.
Oakhaven Fundraiser
Simon Parker, John Ilsley, Steve Rickman and Dita Broster welcomed 1500 people to a fun day at Rodlease Fields in Boldre on Sunday 22 September 2024, celebrating the local community and music, and raising funds for Oakhaven Hospice.
The programme included
John Conway and the Swing Jazz Quintet
Dorset Guitar Orchestra
Choirs: One Way Ticket and Beaulieu Banknotes and special soloists
Amazing Pianist Peter Roper-Curzon
and The John Illsley Band
Not only that, there was a tug of war, wellyboot wanging, raffle, coconut shy, children’s activities and games plus farm animals and machines.
There was also a wide range of food and drink š Pizzas supplied by Super Brothers and Burgers and hotdogs supplied by Butchers on the Green!
It was a lovely day. Now, the rain did come down but it certainly didn’t dampen our spirits. Do check out our vlog of the festival here ā” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrWZOgnoiy0&t=8s&ab_channel=AwesomeArchieSENSupport
The Eaglewood school.
Next it was Awesome Archie’s turn to work with me as we headed off to The Eaglewood school.
The new build school was stunning. Its so nice to se an academic setting that was built for purpose. The staff were kind and Mr Gilbert was very welcoming to us.
The school mission statement of Raising Aspirations and Changing Lives captures the school philosophy that every student needs to find the balance between being academically ready and emotionally prepared for their next steps. Only then will they achieve the self esteem needed to be independent and successful.
Mark Gilbert, Head Teacher.
It was awesome to see Archie engaged in such a “grown up” meeting and we are very excited to potentially be working with Eaglewood a little more in the near future. As always, we must thank Head teacher Mark Gilbert for giving us such a precious amount of his time to hear what we had to say š
and finally DAISY GOT HEAD GIRL!!!
So, I know that it will come as no shock for you to hear how proud we are of our kids. Growing up these days is blooming tough and throw in our neurodivergent family stuff into the mix, it gets even tougher. Today however, we had the most joyous of celebrations… our daughter got Head Girl.
Education has not always been plain sailing for her! There have been REAL challenges along the way but, she has never wavered. She endlessly tries, she is honest and kind and is not afraid to stand up for what’s right!
Equality and diversity in education are more crucial than ever in the world we live in today. The goal of education goes beyond merely offering knowledge. Itās also a fantastic method for fostering empathy. Ensuring that all students, regardless of their race, identity, or ability, have equal access to a high-quality education . Furthermore, it helps to prepare students to thrive in a beautifully diverse world.
Daisy was chosen as head girl because the school said that she shows and lives all of these values! WE ARE OVERJOYED!
Daisy, I hope you know that we couldn’t be prouder and we will support you all the way in your new important position.
WOWSERS, what a week.!!!
We started in our usual way, content creating, researching and attending meetings but, two of these meetings were a tad different to our usual.
Firstly I had a wonderful phone call with the brilliant author Emma Juhasz!!!
Emma writes on her website…
“As an educational author and writer for young children, I carve complex topics into a format that children can easily grasp, offering them an insight into environments that they may find hard to understand.
My unique and inspiring content can be translated into any topic or format.Ā
Let me help you captivate, entertain and educate young readers to learn more and ignite their imaginations!”
Thankfully Emma’s next book needed a little of Awesome Archie’s autism life experience.
Now, we aren’t going to spill any tea (obvs) but it is a really exciting connection for us. Emma’s “reach” is vast and so to feel a small part of her next creation is a real honour.
Thankyou Emma, looking forward to our next chat š
Please check out her brilliant work here ā” https://emmajuhasz.com/
Awesome Archie Has Surgery has been selected for the Ā£1.5m fundraiser “The BEACH Appeal.”
Cast your mind back a few months and you may remember that our gorgeous Archie had some minor surgery in Poole hospital. The operation itself was uncomplicated but the lead up for us was a tough part. I spent a long time illustrating a social story to help support Archie and grow his understanding of the procedure and what to expect.
Thankfully Archie’s surgery not only went swimmingly, but the care and attention given by the Bearwood ward staff was just incredible. So incredible in fact that we decided to turn our illustrations into a book to thank the team! We also hoped that it may support other families like ours in the future.
We had NO idea where this little gesture would lead…
Archie has been invited to be one of the faces to help promote The BEACH Appeal and our book is being ordered by the hospital to distribute to children in pre-op ā¤. For Archie and I, this is a dream come true! We are so immensely grateful!
The BEACH Appeal
What is The BEACH Appeal?
In April 2024, University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity launched a Ā£1.5million fundraising campaign, named The BEACH Appeal, to transform care for Dorset.
The charity is fundraising to provide additional items for the brand new six-storey building, the BEACH Building, which is based at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital.
It is known as the BEACH Building as it reflects the services in the building – Birth, Emergency, Critical Care and Childrenās Health.
The building is the size of 115 tennis courts, and will be open to the public in 2025.
Why is it important?
The NHS will provide the necessities for the BEACH building. However, our charity aspires to enhance the building by fundraising for items which are above and beyond NHS provision. Our team has worked closely with clinical leads to determine items which will provide the greatest benefit to our patients. Items identified include an additional CT scanner, a wellbeing garden for our critical care unit, mood lighting for our maternity suite, enhancements to mental health rooms in our ED, and an onsite classroom.
We have been amazed at the public response to the appeal so far. To date (12/09/2024) we have raised an incredible Ā£280k towards our target. We have received many generous gifts from individuals, grants from trusts and foundations, and in memory of loved ones, as well as a Ā£50k donation from the local bus operator morebus. Many local groups, such as Poole Town Football Club and a local craft group called Crafting Grannies, have supported us through hosting events.
However, we have a long way to go to reach our target of Ā£1.5 million. We are calling everybody across Dorset to come together to help raise funds to enhance our hospitals. The BEACH Appeal is a once-in-a generation opportunity for us to transform care together for everybody across Dorset.
Clearly you can see that Archie and I are so proud and excited to be a small part of this amazing effort!
So, until December 2025, we will now be focussing ALL of our fundraising efforts for The BEACH Appeal as we want ALL children to have an education and FUN…. even when faced with long stays in hospital!
There are lots of little events in the pipeline and we will keep you posted however, if you want to check it out or donate right now….hers the link!
https://www.uhdcharity.org/current-projects/beach-appeal/
Right, time for a coffee;)
Stay AWESOME!!!
Carnival floats, low demand weeks and a Disney Cruise to Spain!
Welcome back to all of our lovely blog readers, we hope that you have had a truly lovely summer. Whether it was a case of day by day survival or adventures galore… you made it!!!
This summer was a lovely low demand one for our kids (up until the final part) and I have been quietly beavering away with some exciting new facets to our work. We have lots of really exciting events coming up, which I will share with you at a later date but, for now, this was our summer…
Awesome Archie non profit ‘s giant rainbow chair float joins the Christchurch carnival.
“Christchurch Carnival attracted crowds ābigger than everā with hundreds turning out to enjoy three days of events from the parade to a tug-of-war and an appearance by āElton Johnā.
Organisers thanked all those who attended, adding: āWith all the unsettling news that has touched so many of us and stretched across the country we felt that it was more important than ever to be able to put on three days of fun and celebration of Christchurch and the place we call home.
You showed us the real power of social media: helping make this year even bigger by sharing all our posts and content. This means that on Saturday we’d never seen crowds like it. By the time Elton was playing His Song you were stretched all the way down to the bandstand and overflowing onto the riverside.” Stated the New Milton advertiser and times.
We spread our message of Autism advocacy and affirmation with the help of our remarkable sponsors Reformed Plastics. As always we are so grateful to them for their unwavering support . We are also immensely proud of the Christchurch Carnival committee for the vast inclusion improvements that they made to this years event. AWESOME!!!
For more information do hop over to our socials to see videos , pictures and more š
The launch of Awesome Archie’s Vacay vlog!
Whether it be through work or play, we are fortunate enough to travel a little bit. This led us to consider the challenges that neurodivergent can families face while on holiday. We are 100% the family that has to youtube our hotels, our destinations, even our room types. For us this makes the planning so much easier and the transition from home to ” holiday home” so much smoother.
Changes in routine, unpredictability, crowds, unfamiliar noises, sights and possibly new dialects or accents can be overwhelming for our autistic boys, and me too actually. However, with a little planning and the tried-and-tested approach, we hope that we can help, even just a little. We will share Vlogs of our holidays, room and cabin tours, amenities, shopping reviews , photo package info, food types… you name it, we aim to share it.
The channel itself is brand new and we now have the gruelling task of getting the word out to get some subscribers. We want to help fulfil Archie’s dream of becoming a full time content creator as he leaves school this year , so please subscribe , like and share š It could change the life of a kid who has never given up!!
The link to our channel is here ā” https://www.youtube.com/@awesomearchiesvacayvlog
We must say a whopping thanks to all of the crew on the Disney Dream. We had the most magical time and cannot wait to we get on board once again š
So, as we head back into another academic year, Archie and I are so very grateful. Grateful for your support, your views, your content shares and likes. It all makes a MASSIVE difference in our work to increase peoples understanding of living life as an autistic individual.
Stay awesome peeps!
Now I know that not everyone has the luxury of only working during term time, but you can still use this approach, even on your days off to make things a whole lot simpler this summer!
As a family we have had “low demand” summers for the last decade. They have truly been transformative for our neurodivergent kids, their siblings and me!
The aim of the low demand approach is to minimise a childās anxiety and stress by reducing the demands and expectations that are placed upon them. This is simply not an option during the term time. We have to wear uniform (not Archie) get up to an alarm, go to bed at a set time etc., In our low demand summer holidays we don’t!!
This approach encourages us to think about aspects of our own parenting, such as the language that we use and the strategies we implement to reward, praise or sanction behaviour. By minimising our children’s anxiety and stress, we make a positive impact upon their overall mental health and wellbeing. When children are relaxed, feel safe, secure, and have a more equal power relationship with us as parents, they are way more receptive to learning opportunities and activities.
We know that we have a little Disney trip coming and so we reserve all the available space around that to do absolutely nothing! Low demand, low anxiety, happy kids š
Over the years we have had few comments about this , particularly about the unlimited screen time thing, but hear us out…
– Online gaming (safely and closely monitored of course) is one of the only ways that many children with autism feel safe to interact in game play. The playground is noisy and confusing, board games have too many people getting over excited and none of the other options give total control. We asked our boys why they love gaming so much and this is what they said.
“I play Dummynation because it is fun. It is a bit like the old fashioned game Risk, but online. I can change history, make empires that wouldn’t normally exist and alter borders. I also complete geography quizzes on websites such as ‘Sporcle’ and ‘Jetpunk’ to help me with my geography knowledge”. Herbie.
“I like playing video games because often it helps take my mind off of the regular stresses of the day, though even when I am not stressed, I very much enjoy them. In most cases, you can do whatever you want in a game with no real life consequences. For example, my favourite game at the moment is called ‘War Thunder’ where you get to drive (and of course crash) realistic planes, boats and tanks, whereas, believe it or not, you cannot do this in real life”. Archie.
Surprisingly though, our kids wont spend all day everyday attached to a screen, in fact it feels like the less time restraint I place on it the less they want to play. They just love knowing that the option is there.
Here is a great link to the National Autistic society chatting about this further ā¬ https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/stories/stories-from-the-spectrum-barrington
– PJ days. This obviously doesn’t mean that we have to stay in our PJ’s… that would defeat the object! It’s merely a chance to dress as you wish, PJs, nighty, pants or a tutu for all I care š Its the ability to have an option when you usually can’t!
-Cooking together. Allowing the kids to choose what they actually want to eat and giving them the option to help cook it. Who’s got time for that during term time?! We have found that our kids eat so much more when they have a freedom to choose and yes, there will be 3 different meals and a bit more washing up but it’s great… I promise.
-Saying no to visitors and limiting socialising. We will never pressure our children to fit into someone else’s schedule. It’s THEIR summer too!!!
These are just a few examples of what WE do. We share this so that if you feel like your summer holidays are just a chaotic nightmare, then you could give it a go too… you may be pleasantly surprised!
Working predominantly online can be tough at times. We all know that social media can be a cruel place but, we at Awesome Archie non profit are optimistic in our approach. Archie and I really hope that the content we create uplifts, educates inspires or just lightens the mood.
Autism is a HUGE subject and we know that so many parents and educators simply don’t have the time to read, research and study. Thankfully Archie and I do. We spend most of our days learning about Autism, ADHD and trying to support families like ours because it is TOUGH sometimes!
Here is an example of the daily content that we create to better support ourselves ( we are always learning) and YOU!!! Please do follow us on our socials for a quick and accessible spot of support š Links at the bottom of this page š
Social links here š
https://www.instagram.com/awesome_archie_official/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/3650909864922453
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-clapcott-018935217/
As we are so close to the academic year finish line, Archie and I want to say a huge thankyou. When we founded Awesome Archie Non-Profit back in 2020, we had no idea that we could not only still be going almost half a decade later, but be loving every moment of it! There have been so many incredible moments this last school year… check out this video to see for yourself ā” 2023/2024 Academic Year.
This month though, I have had a rocky time with my own mental health. We all know that anyone from any background can experience mental health difficulties. Most people who experience mental health dips can recover from them or learn to live with them, particularly if they get the right support early on. For the most part, I am like a lot of parents and carers, I am generally able to cope with my condition and continue to parent and provide a safe and loving home environment for my awesome kids. However, this is still something that so many parents are not comfortable talking about!
Being a parent carer can be a lonely job, even if you are surrounded in love. The stress of all the massive decisions and endless fights for support weigh extremely heavily! It’s vital to admit that the load can become too much at times. Hence my latest tattoo, it’s my own permanent reminder but also, I hope, one to remind others too š
Summer Boarding Course – Autism Workshop
This year we started providing neuroclusivity teacher training. For me it felt like quite a bold move! Although I have many years of TA experience and a SENCo qualification, I am not a qualified teacher, so was concerned that we might not be taken seriously. Fortunately, I am delighted to say that we have been fully booked with most educators saying the same. “The standard teacher training I received was brilliant but we only had one day (two if they were doubling up) focussed on SEN!“
Enter Awesome Archie Non-Profit! It has taken me 16 years of lived ASD experience and thousands of hours of research to gain the knowledge I have, and yet we are still only at the base of that enormous, ever changing mountain. Despite that, we will continue to share what we know. We try to keep up-to-date with the latest CPD and use this to empower educators!
When SBC contacted us we were overjoyed š
“AtĀ Summer Boarding Courses, we are more than just a summer school ā we offer transformative experiences for your children. Our summer school programmes are designed to support students at any stage of their educational journey, blending academic excellence with creative exploration and nurturing the pathway towards higher education and future careers.
Our summer courses have welcomedĀ over 15,000 studentsĀ from overĀ 152 countriesĀ since 2008.
Join us at some of the UKās most famous academic institutions, whether youāre taking your first steps towards your university dream or looking to expand your horizons on an engaging multi-activity programme. SBCās residential summer schools are here to guide you.“
As you can imagine, we were beyond proud and excited!! So, yesterday my hubby drove to the stunningly beautiful Canford school (where the SBC south school is based) and provided autism and neuroclusivity training. Everyone was so welcoming and kind and we had an awesome time. Thankyou SBC!
What a week š
As we run through what is one of our busiest periods of our work calendar ( the other being Christmas) you will see that this blog has taken a while to create. We are delighted to say that this is because we have been so booked up that I simply haven’t the time ( or energy) to get on with it! But, here we are with LOADS to tell you so…
This half term I have been lucky enough to support the Priory school with their Forest school learning. Forest school is a child-centred inspirational learning process, that offers opportunities for holistic growth through regular sessions. It is a long-term program that supports play, exploration and supported risk taking. It develops confidence and self-esteem through learner inspired, hands-on experiences in a natural setting. As you can imagine, that’s right up our street!
The children ( and I ) have been able to see field mice at a safe/kind but close distance, pond dip, get to know the different species of moth and how to identify trees by their leaf formation. Couple this with lots of walking, being with friends and being at one with nature, the kids and I have LOVED IT! Thankyou to Mr Swain for allowing me joy of joining, I really appreciate it!
Guest speaking at the Coaching Circle.
Excitedly, I was invited to be the guest speaker at the most recent coaching circle meeting. The lovely Dan moody, who does so much for the community in the way of supporting and teaching sport , asked if I could talk about making school sporting events more neuroclusive. Dan is the School Sport Partnership Manager & School Games Organiser!!! Obviously, I jumped at the chance and we had the most brilliant morning. I wont go into too much detail as Dan and I may soon be recording a Podcast on this very topic š¤ but we all got a lot from our session. Thanks for the wonderful opportunity and keep up the awesome work!!! š
In school support
We are STILL dropping off SEN support goodies to local schools. It’s been 3 weeks since our first independent fundraiser and we are still sharing that love! THANKYOU SO MUCH!!! We have now donated lots of goodies to lots of schools/clubs but if you’d like to see all the deets please go to our TikTok to see your kindness in action! We are helping SO MANY kids because of YOU!!!!!
Our last job of this week was to support the Priory Schools KS2 sports day. Sports day is fun but can be loud and busy. There are often speakers, shouting and clapping – and sport can make you hot and sticky. Many kids can be easily overwhelmed in these environments and so we were there to support in any way we could!
We pitched up our tent, had fidgets and colouring ready. We had water, shade and plenty of opportunity to chat to those kids that were overwhelmed of just needed a breather.
WELL done Priory school for being so inclusive and understanding of ALL children’s differing needs!!! AWESOME!!!!
