We have received three-year funding from the National Lottery for our Serendipity Community Groups!
Autism Hampshire has received a grant of £245,801 over the next three years to help fund our Serendipity Groups.
Even prior to Covid-19, opportunities for autistic adults to gain support from peers in their local community were limited. Our Serendipity Groups are a place for people to build friendships, feel less isolated and develop their confidence. Throughout Covid-19, the support and friendships people have received because of these groups has been invaluable; people have felt less alone, less anxious and more certain of what is safe to do.
We now need to develop our Serendipity Groups to help people recover from Covid-19; to support people to feel more confident in going out and meeting people, to help people develop their skills and independence in a more challenging work environment and to support people through online sessions where face-to-face meetings may be overwhelming.
Funding from the National Lottery Community Fund will allow us to do this by helping to cover running costs, including venues activities and staffing. It will also support the development of new groups and new skills-based workshops and activities.
Over the next three years, it will cost Autism Hampshire over £364,000 to run our Serendipity Groups programme. With a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund, we are on our way to ensuring that these essential groups remain free for autistic adults to attend!
Thank you to the National Lottery for their support of Serendipity!