The Royal Borough of Greenwich is teaming up with local organisations, including Royal Museums Greenwich, to mark World Autism Awareness Day on Saturday 2 April 2016.
An information event takes place at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich SE10 9NF, between 10am and 4pm. The free event will feature information and advice stalls from a range of organisations that provide services and support to people with autism and their carers.
These include:
- National Autistic Society (Greenwich branch)
- Burgess Autistic Trust
- Bridging the Gap
- Greenwich Mencap / The Riverwood Project
- Greenwich Local Labour and Business
- Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
- Shared Lives
- Royal Borough of Greenwich, which runs a range of services for adults and children with autism.
Visitors will also have the chance to visit and enjoy the museum's many attractions (free entry).
On the same day, the Royal Observatory Greenwich will host a planetarium show for children with an Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) and their families and carers. The event, titled 'Morning Stars', reflects the venue's ongoing commitment to offering autism-friendly periodically throughout the year. Visitors will enjoy the chance to explore the night sky and find out from a Royal Observatory Astronomer what will visible in the sky that night and in the month ahead, with opportunities to ask questions afterwards.
Cllr David Gardner, the Royal Borough's Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care and Public Health, said: "There are some excellent local organisations offering support for people with autism and their families. World Autism Awareness Day offers us an opportunity to bring those organisations under a single umbrella, and local families can take the opportunity to come along and find out what's on offer.
"I would encourage anyone with autism, or who cares for someone with autism, to head for the National Maritime Museum on Saturday."
For more information on autism and services for people with autism visit www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/autism
'Morning Stars', a Planetarium show for children with an Autistic Spectrum Condition and their families, runs from 10am to 10.30am on Saturday 2 April in the Peter Harrison Planetarium. For details and bookings visit www.rmg.co.uk