Wrexham Businesses Help Local Children With Autism Get Active

A fund raising initiative to provide sports opportunities for children with autism in Wrexham and their families has been launched. 

Members of Wrexham’s Healthy High Streets team launched the initiative last week and aim to raise as much money as possible over the next four weeks to give local children with autism the chance to take part in sporting activities.

The Co-operative, Santander, Boots and M&S in Wrexham will raise as much money as possible over the next month by taking part in a variety of fund raising activities, including in-store collections, tree jumping, product sampling, raffles and provide support for the National Autistic Society’s Wear Purple and Pink Day on Friday 27th March and its family fun day in Wrexham town centre on Thursday 2nd April

Local businesses and individuals are also encouraged to join in and help raise as much money as possible for this important cause.

Shan Rogers from The Co-operative Food store in Lord Street said: “This is a great way for all the businesses in the town centre and their customers to show their support for such a good cause. Since the Healthy High Streets campaign was launched in Wrexham in September it feels that the town centre businesses are all pulling in the same direction and this is a good example of how we can all work together for the benefit of the local community.”

The Wrexham Branch of the National Autistic Society will use all funds raised to set up sporting activities for local children with autism and their families working with local sports delivery partners as part of the charity’s Active for Autism campaign. Wrexham FC and North Wales Crusaders have already committed their support to the campaign.

Kelly McLeod-Andrews from the National Autistic Society in Wrexham said: “We are delighted that the Healthy High Streets campaign is supporting us. Autism is a lifelong development disability that affects how a person communicates with and relates to other people. It also affects how they make sense of the world around them.

“Physical exercise is good for everyone but for children with autism it is even more important because it helps to manage weight and health complications, improve sociability and self-esteem, establish a positive routine and reduces self-harming and overactive behaviour.”

Geoff Horrocks, Branch Director at Santander Wrexham added: “Our branch is committed to playing a key part in the community and we are delighted to be part of the campaign to raise funds for the National Autistic Society Wrexham Branch and make a real difference to local children. The Healthy High Streets initiative has enabled businesses in Wrexham to work together to identify ways of supporting the town and the local groups in it, and we’re optimistic this will continue to develop over the coming months.”

If you would like to get involved and make a donation then pop into local outlets of Co-op Food, Co-op Funeralcare and Santander and make a donation; visit Boots on Eagles Meadow between Friday 27 and Sunday 29 March and get involved with their fun fundraising activity; Make a donation at www.justgiving.com/autismsportwxm or Text 70070 with “ASPT99 £1” and donate £1 or whatever amount you can afford.

Alternatively if you would like to take on a challenge to raise money for the charity, please get in touch with the Wrexham Branch of the National Autistic Society by emailing [email protected] or through facebook.com/wrexhamnas.