Theatre Joins Guildford Landmarks To Shine A Light On Autism

Published on: 29 Mar, 2018
Updated on: 29 Mar, 2018

By Jan Todd

Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre is ready to help paint the town blue this weekend, as the venue will join other local landmarks to light up blue for World Autism Awareness Day on Monday, April 2.

The theatre is ready to support Jigsaw Trust, helping them to raise awareness of autism by joining the Light It Up Blue campaign.

In 2007 the United Nations declared April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day. The day aims to shine a bright light on autism as a growing global health crisis and WAAD activities are designed to help increase and develop world knowledge of autism and to impart information regarding the importance of early diagnosis and intervention.

Autism is more common than many people think. There are over half a million people in the UK with autism. If you include their families, autism touches the lives of over two million people every day.

The Jigsaw Trust was set up in 1999 by a group of local parents with children with autism spectrum disorders. It operates Jigsaw School (for children aged 4–19) and JigsawPlus (for adults aged 18+) at their base on Dunsfold Park, near Cranleigh.

All pupils and adult learners have autism; a lifelong developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with and relates to other people, and how they experience the world around them.

The Yvonne Arnaud Theatre lit blue for last year’s World Autism Awareness Day.

The Yvonne Arnaud Theatre will once again join the Light It Up Blue campaign alongside Guildford Castle, The Friary Guildford, Tunsgate Arch and The Guildhall, participating in the awareness initiative alongside such famous landmarks as CN Tower in Toronto, Shanghai Tower in China, the Empire State Building in New York and the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

Kate Grant, CEO of Jigsaw Trust, explains “We are immensely grateful to the local community for helping us to raise awareness of autism over the coming weeks. We will be out and about talking to people about what autism is and the work that we do.”

In addition, Jigsaw Trust has recently unveiled a new mascot, just in time to help celebrate World Autism Awareness Day. Created by Lewis Darby at Yard B Studios, Jiggy will be appearing on the charity’s literature, websites and social media to help to raise awareness of autism.

Raising awareness of autism will help improve the lives of children and adults with the condition, along with their families, and with greater understanding comes improved inclusive opportunities within the community.

Visit www.jigsawschool.co.uk for more information about Jigsaw Trust.