40 years ago the people of Sunderland rallied round a group of parents, helping them raise £25,000 to buy what would become our first autism-specific school. The Sunderland Echo were involved – as were dozens of community groups, founding families, personalities and people from all over the region. Four decades on and we’re forming that partnership again in a joint campaign called All to Play For. 

With an aim to raise that same sum of money again – this time to purchase bespoke play equipment for the new Thornhill Park School – we’ll be working with the Echo over a year long campaign that will both educate the public on autism and the need for acceptance, as well as promote our services and raise the profile of Sunderland as a fantastic, community-spirited city.