Not Stupid (24 page)

For those on the autistic spectrum, change doesn't come easily but I was impressed by the way the students decided to tackle the problem. Like true professionals, the students went back to the drawing board and announced a competition for all the members to come up with a new name for the group and offered a prize for the winning member. We await the result.

A parent and carer support group has now been established at the college where it is hosted every month. This is a free provision for any parents or carers of a person diagnosed as being on the autistic spectrum and 16 and over. We've made this service available to everyone, regardless of the borough in which they reside.

So, as you can see, since going into partnership with the Hillcrest family, we are going from strength to strength and the future of our centres is looking far rosier than it was a few months ago. I now feel that we are working as a cohesive team and there is hardly a limit to what we may achieve.

News of our work has been spreading worldwide. In recent weeks I have been approached by parents and professionals in the United Kingdom, USA, Canada, Japan and Barbados. I have been giving talks all over the country about our work; been featured on a breakfast show on Irish television; spoken at a national conference and have been invited to return to speak at next year's conference.

The fact that so many people are now sitting up and taking notice of what we have achieved, and that many of them wish
to replicate our work, is immensely satisfying, but we do not intend to rest on our laurels.

Another initiative we are developing is a national website - AnnaKennedyOnline.com - which is due to be launched in 2009. This will be a charitable website with up-to-date information on autism research, parliamentary updates, places to visit for holidays that are autism child friendly, and Sean will have a legal section that will advise people visiting the site of any changes in education law, employment law etc. Basically, it is intended to be an all-singing, all dancing website concentrating on autism issues but with other interests as well.

Looking forward, our aim is to maintain the progress we have made as a family and with our work to date, and to ensure our boys and the students in our centres are equipped to live the rest of their lives as fully as possible.

It's been a long, hard struggle with many setbacks and obstacles along the way but, with the support of other dedicated parents, directors, shareholders, businesses and well-wishers, we have achieved an awful lot over the past ten years and I'd like to think that in another ten years I'll still be doing what I'm doing now – though, hopefully, without quite so much stress!

Sometimes, when I'm really exhausted I sit back and wonder why we've been doing all this, but then I only need to look at Patrick and Angelo to know the reason. They're unable to fight for themselves, so it's up to us to do it for them. However, we do not intend to rest on our laurels. There is still more to do and we will not rest until we have done it.

That much we owe our boys and others like them.

There are so many people who have helped us along the way who deserve our heartfelt thanks – and I’m sure there must be many more kind people and organisations who have contributed to Hillingdon Manor whom I may have forgotten and to whom I can only apologise.

Thanks, therefore, to the following individuals and organisations:

Thank you, Esther, for agreeing to become patron of the school and HACS, for highlighting the issue of autism, and for your support. Also, congratulations on your participation on the ITV programme
I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!
You proved that a 68-year-old woman can cope just as well as the younger generation in the jungle amongst all the spiders and snakes. You were brilliant and we’re all very proud of you! I hope you were able to draw support from the pictures our pupils drew for you.

Thank you for introducing me to autism! It’s been a
roller-coaster
ride!

Thank you for moving down from Middlesbrough to help us through some tough times and for all the babysitting sessions.

I’d like to thank my sister and her husband for listening to all my moaning over the telephone and for continually cheering me up. Thank you, Nico, for being a really great cousin to Patrick and Angelo. I’m sure Maria Luisa and Tony must have learned an awful lot about Asperger Syndrome when Patrick stayed with them for a week!

Thanks for supporting me and particularly to Mam for listening to me.

I’d like to thank my brother and his wife for their support and all they’ve done for the boys, particularly Patrick, as he’s always saying how much Tullio lifts him up when he’s feeling miserable.

Thanks for putting me on the train to London all those years ago!

Norma looked after Patrick when he was placed in an incubator shortly after his birth. She has been my good friend ever since.

Aunty Zita telephones me every single day without fail at 6.45 p.m. on the dot. She never judges me and is the nicest woman anyone could ever meet. She’s Angelo’s godmother and I feel as if I were the daughter she never had. Thanks, Ted, for your friendship.

HACS was the seed of all we have achieved. My thanks go to all involved.

Thanks for starting HACS with me.

This is where we first set up our HACS meetings. Thank you for letting us have the use of the hall free of charge.

Thank you for giving us the keys to the school (eventually!). I have to be honest in admitting we have been very lucky to have dealt with you, as there are not many boroughs that would have done what you have done for us over the past few years.

You were one of the key people at Hillingdon Borough Council involved en route to our getting Hillingdon Manor. Thank you so much.

John has been on our side even before Day One! Thanks for fighting our corner for us and for keeping in contact.

Like John Randall, John has continually offered his support and has written many letters on our behalf to the council.

Ray has supported our projects at the school, the residential home and the college. Thank you for this consistent support.

Thanks for giving me respite for a few hours a week when setting up the school and in the early days.

Thank you, Christina, for supporting Angelo and Patrick in the early days and for your invaluable workshops on autism.

It’s been a roller coaster, Alex! Thank you for supporting the project right from Day One. Thank you for your commitment to the cause.

Thank you for your financial investment in Hillingdon Manor – even though you have not had children affected by an
autistic-spectrum
disorder. Thanks for believing in what we’ve been doing and for your continued support.

We went to a lot of banks and all of them except Barclays told us we had a nice project but to close the door on the way out. Barclays didn’t, so thank you very much. Barclays was the bank that said ‘yes’!

Formerly of Barclays Bank. Thank you for wording the letter paving the way for our loan to buy Hillingdon Manor in the way that you did.

Our Barclays Bank manager. Thank you for your ongoing support.

A solicitor with a son with autism, Graham was instrumental in the setting up of Hillingdon Manor School. It was Graham who put us on to Barclays Bank when all other banks were declining to help us purchase the school.

Nicholas works for Barclays Bank. He has undertaken many fundraising activities for the school and HACS. A really nice guy for whom nothing is too much trouble.

The company secretary since Day One. Thank you for your support and your honest opinions.

A parent of one of our pupils, Cliff can work magic. He is our maintenance man whom we just wind up and let go.

A very supportive parent of two children with autism. We’ve laughed and cried together, and shared scary stories about things our kids have got up to. I wish her all the best for the future.

After hearing me speak on the radio about Hillingdon Manor, Nigel got in touch and offered to supply us with all our signage requirements free of charge. Thank you. Let’s hope you can make enough money to buy that Ferrari you’re always going on about!

A parent of a child with autism, Bob was very supportive of our efforts to start up Hillingdon Manor School and became the treasurer of HACS. Such a likable man, Bob has since passed away. He is greatly missed.

What a lovely man. A master of many trades who helped us so much to keep everything in good repair. Terry passed away a while back and, like the late Bob Hillier, he is sadly missed.

A former deputy head teacher at Hillingdon Manor School, Graham has a son with autism. Even before we opened the school he rolled up his sleeves to help with the painting. He has since moved on to work at a mainstream school but he has ensured Hillingdon Manor has links with his new school.

Thank you, both, for speaking up for the school when we needed your support.

The centre, run by people with learning disabilities, gave us lots of plants to make Hillingdon Manor School’s gardens look so nice.

A reporter on the BBC2 Newsnight programme, Humphrey has produced several really good television features on the school and frequently gets in touch for updates.

The toy manufacturers have donated lots of toys, games and puzzles and staff have held several fundraising events.

David is a gem! He is from the Link charity and, through him, we obtained a lot of furniture when we set up Hillingdon Manor School and even more since then. A good friend.

It was through Basingstoke Council that we were put in touch with David Kamsler from the Link. They helped to ensure we received a good amount of office furniture.

The company staff did a lot of fundraising for us – things like wearing odd socks for the day and fun days.

Staff from BAA did a lot of work for us when we founded Hillingdon Manor School, including the fitting out of a kitchen as part of a team-building exercise. They did a very good job.

Sean’s previous employers held a fundraising event for the school.

Thank you for all those Saturdays when I would come in to Hillingdon Manor School to paint it in preparation for opening. It was so nice to see so many willing pairs of hands. Between them, your helpers saved us lots of money, which we were able to put towards other good uses at the school.

I met Jack and Jean through a wine club, which raised funds for the school. Afterwards they came to the school and, since then, have been on hand to offer their voluntary support.

The Disney toys, DVDs, CDs, and costumes donated and the work done in the sensory garden at Hillingdon Manor School are much appreciated.

Jonas has a daughter with autism. His help with the maintenance at Hillingdon Manor School has been invaluable.

Thanks for your continued support throughout the years. You have both supported so many families along the way, far beyond your call of duty.

The help provided with establishing policies and procedures when we opened Hillingdon Manor was much appreciated.

Thank you, Angela, for giving us the best opportunity to set up a centre of excellence for autism.

Sean, it’s been a pleasure to watch you bloom from starting off as a teacher, getting married, to starting a family. Thank you both for helping Patrick and Angelo through some difficult times.

Past and present staff at Hillingdon Manor Schools, past and present staff at West London Community College, past and present staff at Summacare, past and present staff at The Old Vicarage – thank you, everyone, for all your dedication, not to mention all the extra hours you’ve all worked!

Thanks for your support and fundraising. Thanks also for your advice.

Your contributions from Rag Weeks and general support have been much appreciated. We’ve been very happy to have been able to take some of your work-placement individuals on as permanent staff.

Thanks for your efforts in helping us decorate at St Mary’s Centre – even though one of the ceilings ended up being painted with gloss paint instead of emulsion!

The community reporter and deputy editor of our local newspaper the Uxbridge Gazette, Barbara has consistently updated news of the school in the newspaper. She’s become a friend and we appreciate her continued support.

How things have improved since we first contacted the society. It is now proved to be a really good resource – better information for parents, particularly when a child has just been diagnosed. We’ve since made several friends from the society and we would like to thank them for their support.

Thank you for helping me to write this book.

It was Julian who gave me the idea to write this book and securing a successful publishing deal was thanks to him and his team.

Uta has given many talks on our behalf, free of charge. She worked in the field of autism for many years and we appreciate her valuable support and advice.

Like Uta, Fiona has given many talks on our behalf. We met her when we first set up the school and it was she who diagnosed Sean as having Asperger Syndrome.

I went to the academy with Alex, Patrick and Angelo to collect donated wardrobes, beds and chests of drawers when we were about to open The Old Vicarage residential home.

AKA EastEnders’ Grant Mitchell. Thank you, Ross, for visiting the school and spending time with Patrick and the children.

Thank you for your fundraising efforts.

Thanks to all concerned for raising funds with a sponsored silence.

Thank you for your support in the early days.

Thank you for your support in the early days.

And, last but not least, thank you, Mencap, for the use of the swimming pool on site.

Thanks for taking on the challenge. I look forward to working with you.