Author: acctsheffield7

Exclusively for members of ACCT a special production of James and The Giant Peach is being performed by Norton College Performing Arts Company on July 2nd at 5pm. This FREE event is for the whole family…hope to see you there!

 

We now have an account set up on librarything, with all the books we have in the office listed. You can go online and look at all the books we have, then email or text me (or Deborah for parents activities) and we can bring the book along to the next activity. All the books are tagged according to topic. To look at all our books, just go to http://www.librarything.com/profile/ACCTSheffield.

Tom Leatherland is a member of ACCT and has written this to be read out in assembly…he is 12 and has just been diagnosed.

 

Asperger’s is a form of autism. 

I have Asperger’s (pronounced As-per-ger – like burger) Syndrome. Lots of people call it Asperger’s (As-per-jer) and I find this annoying because it is not correct and that is part of what having Asperger’s makes me like. I don’t mind being called an Aspie or you can say I have AS – this is because I am pedantic and I like things to be correct. I am obsessive about various things but my obsessions change – I get bored with something and move onto something else which I want to do all the time until I am bored again. I am extremely unsocial because I prefer my own company to others. I have trouble reading facial expressions and voice tones and so often misinterpret what people mean or how they feel. Having AS is sometimes annoying as, because I take language literally, I am left feeling clueless when everyone else seems to understand what has been said or what is going on. I have extremes of emotions with nothing in between. I feel REALLY happy (when obsessing – either engaging with my obsession, talking about it or thinking about it), or REALLY sad (when I am restricted from my obsession, have something obsession related taken away from me, or am put in a situation that causes sensory overload) or REALLY bored. I am bored when I do not have access to my current obsession, and when I am bored I cannot enjoy anything else and instead stay in a sort of limbo until I am able to return to my obsession. When I am engaged in something that is intriguing or interesting but isn’t obsession related I do not feel anything – I think other people (without AS) feel a wider range of emotions than I do. 

Sensory overload is something that a lot of autistic people struggle with. It is what happens when there is too much of something which affects my senses. It causes me to become extremely agitated and stressed, really sad and stops me from being able to concentrate, focus or think. I am most often overloaded by noise and touch – a prime example would be how I feel in a large place that is packed with people. The noise would be too loud and I wouldn’t be able to cope with the people bumping into me and surrounding me. It makes me want to curl up into a ball and escape from the experience. Another example of touch overload is how I feel when I am wearing scratchy, itchy clothes – they make me want to scream!

Whilst there are a lot of things about Asperger’s which make me struggle, there is always some way to overcome these and a way to help how I feel. There are also a lot of good things about my Asperger’s, one example is that my obsessions make me go to great lengths to make sure what I do is ‘perfect’ and therefore what I produce is usually of a very high standard because I cannot allow myself to spend any less time than is needed to achieve what, in my mind, is perfection. Because of the way my brain works I am logical and analytical which makes me able to calculate things and work things out. 

Without my Asperger’s I would not be me as all I have learnt and experienced and my personality has been defined by my Aspergers – I am autistic, I have AS, it is who I am and I cannot know what I would be like without it.

In The Spotlight 2013 was a fantastic showcase of the wonderful talents of the students at The Spotlight Theatre Dance Studio. We were invited to see the show on March 26th and had a great time. We would like to thank the Dance Studio for the generous donation of £250 from the proceeds of this event.

Spotlight is managed by Hayley Whitehead, (ACCT Member & Mum to Coley who has ASD). Spotlight teaches all aspects of theatre dance, Street Dance, Freestyle, Musical Theatre & Music & Movement ( Parent & Toddler class). Classes are for age 18 months to Adults. 

National Media Centre

Saturday 8^th June, coach leaves St Mary’s at 10am

Anyone wishing to watch Star Trek into the Darkness – an IMAX experience in 3D can at a reduced rate of £4.50 per person, pre booking through us is essential. CEA cards are accepted.

Please bring a picnic and drinks, alternatively food can be purchased in the Cafe. Please find details on their websitehttp://www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk

No ACCT staff will be present on this trip and parents will remain responsible for their children at all times.

 

Cycling at Ladybower (Ages 8 – 15 years)

Saturday 15^th June

This trip will be fully staffed and children can be dropped off at 11am and picked up at 3pm at Fairholmes

Children need to be competent cyclers; bicycles can be hired at the drop off point

Please bring a packed lunch and drinks in a rucksack, along with any medication required

Depending on the weather rain coats/sun cream and hats may be needed and appropriate foot wear.

 

Tropical Butterfly House, Wildlife and Falconry Centre, North Anston

Saturday 29th June, coach leaves St Mary’s at 10am

Please bring a picnic and drinks, alternatively food can be purchased in the Cafe. Please find details on their website – http://www.butterflyhouse.co.uk

Depending on the weather rain coats/sun cream and hats may be needed and appropriate foot wear.

No ACCT staff will be present on this trip and parents will remain responsible for their children at all times.

 

Please book your places at Acctivate, Teenager Club or contact Emma on 07527 824034 or e.shepherd@acctsheffield.org.uk

 

ACCT would like to say a huge Thankyou to The House Skate Park for organising and running a fundraising event for us. We are delighted to announce they raised £209 and encouraged some of our members to participate too. The event was a huge success. . 

Thanks again for your support.

 

The House Skate Park will be holding a Fundraiser for ACCT on Thursday 25^th April www.thehouseskatepark.co.uk

They have kindly offered to raise funds for ACCT and to give our members over six years old the opportunity to try out the facilities for free with exclusive use before the park opens for the event.

The park will open for ACCT children from 3 – 5pm on the day. They can bring down their own scooters or skateboards if they have them to use, or borrow one of the park’s hire skateboards (which will be loaned free). Helmets are also available (again, free) if they don’t have their own. 

The fundraising jam runs from 5 – 10pm, all door takings being donated to ACCT and ACCT children are welcome to stay should they want too. We ask that parents remain onsite as this is not an event staffed by ACCT. Places are limited and must be booked in advance, contact Nicola to book a place on 07972221305 or nicola.hough@acctsheffield .org.uk

We are meeting at The Odeon on Arundel Gate at 6.15pm to see The Croods in 3D. Bring 3D glasses if you have them.

Tuesday 2nd April, 6 – 8pm – National Autism Awareness Day

Squash and water will be available and the cafe will be open for anyone wishing to purchase food.

Some Acctivate staff will be there during the session to support the children. Parents will need to stay on the premises and will be responsible for their children.

Arena Karts are not included and are coin-operated

Places are limited and booking is essential, please book your place at Acctivate or contact the Nicola on 07972221305 or nicola.hough@acctsheffield .org.uk

Play Arena, Little London Road, Heeley, Sheffield, S8 0UH. For more details please check their website – http://www.theplayarena.com

Text Giving – to make a donation to ACCT text ‘ACCT06’ followed by £ and the amount (1 – 10) and send to 70070 Collection tins will be available for anyone wishing to make a donation

Sorry to announce we are cancelling the swimming session booked for 24th of March due to the weather conditions. 

Sorry to announce we are cancelling the trip to the play arena on Saturday 23rd March due to the weather conditions making it difficult for all to attend. This event will be rearranged for a later date. Sorry for any inconvenience caused.

From April 6^th 2013 Acctivate will be running every Saturday morning from 9.45am to 12.15pm at St Marys Community Centre. The new clubs will have all the same activities, a toy room, a relaxation room, a computer room, arts and crafts and sports. You are welcome to come to as many sessions as you like. Booking will now be available for two sessions in advance.

For any more information or to book in, please call Emma on 07527 824034.

Spotlight Theatre Dance Studio is based at The Michael Church, Lowedges Road, Sheffield. It is managed by Hayley Whitehead, (ACCT Member & Mum to Coley who has ASD). Spotlight teaches all aspects of theatre dance, Street Dance, Freestyle, Musical Theatre & Music & Movement ( Parent & Toddler class). Classes are for age 18 months to Adults. 

Spotlight are also currently developing a new class in September 2013 ‘A Chance to Dance’ this class will be for Children with Special Educational Needs & Disabilities, touching all different styles of dance & movement, Alicia Whitehead (Hayley’s daughter) is due to start a Dance Therapy course in May 2013 to assist with this.

The above event, In The Spotlight 2013, is coming up on March 25th – 27th at The Octagon  Centre and tickets are on sale now! Spotlight have chosen to raise funds for ACCT and Weston Park Cancer Care. Raffle tickets are on sale for £1 and all donations will be gratefully received. For tickets contact Hayley Whitehead on 07932008454.

 

 

ACCT would like to say a huge Thankyou to the Sheffield, England Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for donating proceeds from their fantastic production of A Christmas Carol to ACCT. We attended the final performance of the show and it was fantastic! Much hard work and preparation went in to this production, the dedication of all involved.. from set designers, musicians, the cast, director and costume designers.. made sure the show was a real success. Through programme sales and kind donations The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints raised £450 for ACCT which will be used to continue supporting our members and their families.

Thankyou.

7pm – 9pm at St. Mary’s Community Centre.

Rebecca Gumpert, Clinical Psychologist at Ryegate, will speak about managing anxiety in young people with Asperger’s Syndrome and High Functioning Autism.

Play Arena

Saturday 23^rd March, 6 – 8pm

Squash and water will be available and the cafe will be open for anyone wishing to purchase food.

Some Acctivate staff will be there during the session to support the children. Parents will need to stay on the premises and will be responsible for their children.

Arena Karts are not included and are coin-operated

Places are limited and booking is essential, please book your place at Acctivate or contact the Nicola on 07972221305 or nicola.hough@acctsheffield .org.uk

Play Arena, Little London Road, Heeley, Sheffield, S8 0UH. For more details please check their website – www.theplayarena.com

 

Swimming at Hillsborough Leisure Pool

Sunday 10^th March 5.15 – 6.15pm

This session is for our exclusive use and for the whole family. There will be no ACCT staff present and children will remain the responsibility of their parents/carers throughout the session and must be accompanied at all times.

Please check their web site for details of child to adult ratios – www.hillsboroughlc.co.uk or ring them on 0114 2312233. Please be aware a strict swimwear policy is in place at Hillsborough Leisure Pool.

To book places please contact Nicola on nicola.hough@acctsheffield.org.uk or 07972221305

Text Giving – to make a donation to ACCT text ‘ACCT06’ followed by £ and the amount (1 – 10) and send to 70070 Collection tins will be available for anyone wishing to make a donation

 

6th February 2013 – Speaker Nick Hodge – Senior Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University.  He will be speaking about ‘using questions to solve problems when supporting people on the autism spectrum’