11/11/2026
Yesterday, we held our Autism Group Sip n' Paint event at The Qattery Cafe & Cats . Originally, this was supposed to be part of our legacy project, as we wanted to leave something positive behind if Healthwatch was being abolished 🎨
We recently found our that we are staying, but we still wanted to go ahead with this event anyway! The event brought together different members of the autism group to socialise and engage in a fun activity based around the theme of healthcare. Each member was given a canvas, paintbrushes and paints to share, while tea, coffee and cakes were served, giving people a space to be creative and enjoy a cuppa! 🍰☕
The run up to Christmas and New Years can be particularly stressful for autistic people, as it symbolically marks a period of change and going into a new year. Events like these are important as they give autistic people the chance to try something new in a fully relaxed and non-judgemental space, along with the chance to connect with other autistic individuals, should they wish 🤝
Many members shared their experience of healthcare as autistic people. One individual said "if I could wave a magic wand... I would ask medical professionals to believe people more, especially women, on physical and mental issues." 🪄
Another member of the group shared "the GP gets annoyed as they want me to call them up even though I've explained that this makes me too anxious and I prefer to communicate with email. They still give me numbers, so I haven't called, so I haven't got physio. They don't believe I am in pain." 📞
It was clear from our event that there is still a long way to go in terms of support for autistic people, especially for those who are late diagnosed, with many not knowing what to do or where to go after they receive a diagnosis ❤️
