2 weeks Ago
Rain or shine did not stop this Bolton family stepping out during the school holidays to raise more than just money for a charity. Katie Gilliver and her two sons Archie Keast, 10, and Alfie Keast, five, walked two miles every day to raise awareness of Autism Acceptance Month. Both youngsters have been diagnosed with autism and so far they have raised over £600 so far for the National Autistic Society .
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental condition which affects how people learn, communicate and behave. In people with ASD, the connections between neurons are different than in people without. To put it simply, people with autism have a different brain chemistry to others.
(Left to right) Kate Gilliver, Alfie Keast and Archie Keast (Image: Kate Gilliver) Autism Acceptance Month aims to remove the stigma and highlight the uniqueness of each and every person with ASD, something which Kate is passionate about doing. Speaking to The Bolton News Kate said: “It started with me having my boys for two weeks without any respite care over half term. “I knew I’d have to do something with them, getting out and getting active regulates their wellbeing.
“Both Archie and Alfie have been diagnosed with Autism, they’re also awaiting a potential ADHD diagnosis. Archie (left) and Alfie (right). (Image: Kate Gilliver) “They both present very differently – which is why we were so keen to raise awareness, as Autism isn’t a one size fits all.
"Archie, he’s extremely intellectual and academic but he can struggle socially – which can get him into hot water if he doesn’t properly understand something and is unable to express his needs. “On the other hand, Alfie presents more outwardly – he receives specialist provision and his autism often hits people in the face when they first meet him. He has developmental delay and limited speech, which his school – Blackshaw Primary School, have been phenomenal with.
READ MORE: Emmaus Bolton to host spring fair for 20th anniversary Saving Threads CIC raises £40000 for Bolton charities Bolton Wanderers organise 'sleep out' charity event “We walked all over, rain or shine we made sure that we went out, across Entwistle Reservoir, Whitehead Fisheries and Rivington Reservoir – we tried to mix it up every time. “The positive feedback has been amazing for the boys, it’s helped them embrace their autism. On Archie’s third day back, we made a poster about autism and how it affects people for his class.
Alfie Keast (left) and Archie Keast (right) (Image: Kate Gilliver) “The teachers at Ladywood came up to him and congratulated him, they were so proud. For both boys, seeing the support they’ve received has been so rewarding. “Alfie loves hitting targets, so he was absolutely made to see how much we made in the end.
We only set out to raise about £200 and ended up making three times that! “These donations consisted of friends and family and kind strangers who stopped us on our walks to donate from our special fundraising t-shirt.” Those who wish to donate to Kate, Archie and Alfie’s fundraiser can do so via the QR code. Those who wish to donate to Kate, Archie and Alfie’s fundraiser can do so via the QR code.
(Image: National Autistic Society) Kate added: “Being a neurospicy household is something very close to our hearts and we'd like to support others too. “I would say I want they key messaging for people is to be kind, be inclusive. The way every child displays is different.
Just because you can see someone acting a certain way, it doesn’t mean that they aren’t affected by autism. “Being kind and accepting of others is the key message, people have different learning patterns and may see the world differently, our differences make us stronger.”.
