TWO READING museums celebrated the return of autism and neurodiversity-friendly special events last week.
The Museum of English Rural Life hosted the first of a new Museums, My Way programme on Monday, February 21.
It is working with Reading Museum on the scheme, which is supported by Autism Berkshire
Phillippa Heath, the learning and engagement manager of The MERL, said that she was “delighted” to have developed the new sessions with Reading Museum.
The sessions are free to attend and suitable for autistic and neurodiverse people of all ages.
Autism Berkshire providing training to staff and helped with the development of the Museums, My Way programme, which includes sensory bags and tailored activities.
Thames Valley Police were also present at the event, to encourage people to register for an autism alert card.
Those in the scheme can share some information about their needs with police, and officers shown an alert card can request information from a secure database to ensure that they are providing appropriate assistance. More than 2,400 alert cards are already in use across the force’s region.
Lucie Gray, of Thames Valley Police’s Autism support network, said that the cards are a positive step to ensuring meaningful interaction with autistic and neurodiverse people.
“The cards help to break down barriers to communication,” she said.
And Autism Berkshire’s chief executive officer, Jane Stanford-Beale, said that the museums sessions and the alert card scheme “are really appreciated by the families we support.”
