May 2026 newsletter

Hello everyone,

Welcome to our May newsletter. This month we have some wonderful updates to share - from the successful completion of our London Ambulance Service survey, to the exciting launch of our new Tooting community cafe, and an important statement on children's rights. We are incredibly grateful for your continued support and engagement.

If you missed our April newsletter, you can catch up there for all the latest on our funding news, volunteer spotlights, and more.

A Huge Thank you

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who took part in our London Ambulance Service survey and focus groups. Your participation means the world to us and will directly influence how LAS reviews and improves their services for the autistic and wider autism community.

We learned an enormous amount from your experiences and insights. Our report has now been completed and submitted to the London Ambulance Service.

181

Total participants

160

Survey completions

21

Focus group attendees

This is a fantastic response and we are truly grateful. We will keep you updated as this important work progresses further.

Sean Kennedy's London to Brighton Ultra Challenge

We are incredibly proud to share that Sean Kennedy, one of our long-standing and valued community members, is running for London Autism Group Charity in an extraordinary fundraising challenge.

London 2 Brighton Ultra Challenge 2026

Date: 23rd - 24th May 2026

Distance: 100km

"Jogging, walking and struggling along a 100km distance ultra course from London to Brighton on the 23rd of May 2026 to raise funds for the unique and most worthwhile, London Autism Charity Group."

Sean's dedication and determination are truly inspiring. Every penny raised will go directly towards supporting our community programmes and services.

Standing Up for Children's Rights

We are deeply concerned and appalled at the Government's decision to remove our children's legal right to an individual health and care plan throughout their education. We find the proposals entirely inadequate and unworkable.

Disabled people and their families gave our votes in the millions, because the government pledged to protect our rights and the rights of those we care for and care most about. Now the government is betraying this promise.

We will campaign, and raise our voices, and see that our family members and allies also do so, until we are listened to, and these proposals are permanently withdrawn. We represent the core support of the government party in every previous election. We tell you plainly: act against our children's rights and we will act at the ballot box.

We support the Save Our Children's Rights Campaign. We call on all parents, family members and allies of children with disabilities, to support the campaign and to write to your MP. Only pressure from our millions of voices will be enough to reverse this government decision.

Thank you, on behalf of all our children.
London Autism Group Charity

New Tooting Community Cafe - Launching 14th June!

We are absolutely delighted to announce the launch of our brand new Tooting Community Cafe on Sunday 14th June 2026.

Venue: Tooting Grove Community Clubhouse, Everett Street, SW17 0QR

When: 2nd Sunday of every month, 1pm - 3pm

Cost: Completely free

As always, our community cafes offer free, no-barrier, drop-in access for the whole autistic and wider autism community. People of all ages are welcome to come along, meet others, enjoy free drinks and snacks, explore sensory items, play games, and feel connected with others in a psychologically safe space where you feel safe enough to unmask if you wish to.

We will also be offering music therapy and a range of other activities at our cafes, just as we do across all of our community cafe sessions. From tai chi to visits from our wonderful animal conservationist Ryan Parker, there is always something special happening.

No registration required - just drop in! We cannot wait to see you there.

Greenwich Community Cafe - Going from Strength to Strength

Our Greenwich Community Cafe has been running for several months now and continues to be a wonderful success. It is a warm, welcoming space where people of all ages can come along, be themselves, meet others, and enjoy a range of activities.

Venue: St Alfege's Church Hall, Greenwich, Church Street, London, SE10 8NA

When: 3rd Saturday of every month, 11am - 1pm

Cost: Completely free

As with all of our community cafes, there is no barrier to entry and no demand - simply come as you are. We provide a lovely, relaxed environment with activities including music therapy, tai chi sessions, and visits from our animal conservationist Ryan Parker.

No registration required - just drop in!

Fridays at Farringdon & University Peer-Support Sessions

Fridays at Farringdon

Our Fridays at Farringdon sessions continue every week at the Pan Macmillan headquarters. These are welcoming, low-demand sessions where you can drop in, relax, work, or connect with others in a comfortable, understanding environment.

Peer Support Sessions for Autistic University Students

We are also running our fantastic peer support sessions for autistic university students every Friday from 11am to 1pm. These sessions are free and open to all autistic university students - you do not need a formal diagnosis.

Each session lasts approximately 30 minutes and can be held online or in person at the venue. You will speak with a peer supporter who understands the higher education system and can help you navigate specific challenges, or simply chat about your interests. They are there to help make your university life a little easier.

Charity Museum Visit to the V&A

We are delighted that Kirsty Lavender-Newns has organised a very special charity museum visit to the world-famous Victoria and Albert Museum for our community.

Venue: Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington

Date: Wednesday 28th May 2026

Time: 10am - 2pm

Spaces: Limited to 10 people

This is a wonderful opportunity to explore one of London's most beautiful museums in a supportive, small-group setting. Spaces are very limited, so please register as soon as possible to secure your place.

Strolling with Neurokin

Our Strolling with Neurokin programme continues to grow, with more opportunities than ever to get outdoors, connect with others, and explore London at a relaxed pace.

Three Monthly Stroll Areas

Ealing - Has now completed its second session. The most recent walk took us along sections of the beautiful Brent River Park Walk, featuring the charming Millennium Maze along the way.

Greenwich - Recently held its very first stroll with great success. The route passed through historic Greenwich, taking in the Cutty Sark and the magnificent Old Royal Naval College, with beautiful views across the River Thames.

City of London - Ongoing monthly sessions. The most recent walk headed towards St James's Park, looping around the park's beautiful greenery before finishing back at St James's Park tube station.

Each stroll is led by one of our fantastic walk leaders who carefully plan strolls in advance, and offers a wonderful opportunity to meet others, enjoy nature, and move at your own pace in a supportive, neuroaffirming environment.

Celebrating Our Amazing Volunteers

We are shining a light on two of our wonderful volunteers who make such a difference to our community.

Ellie Christodoulou

Child & Adolescent Therapist, Radio Show Host, Community Cafe Volunteer

I am a parent of twins, and one of my children is autistic. I was recently diagnosed with ADHD, and since it was identified later in life, I'm still figuring out how to understand it. I am a second-generation Greek Cypriot, born and raised in North London, and my culture is a big part of who I am. All these experiences have shaped why I care so deeply about the neurodivergent community.

I am a trained child and adolescent therapist, and I've spent most of my career working in schools, supporting young people with their emotional wellbeing and SEND support needs. My personal life and professional life overlap in a way that really drives me. I want to make things more inclusive, more accessible for our communities, and more genuinely neuroaffirming wherever I can.

Outside of work, I love art and visiting galleries and exhibitions. Visuals have always helped me regulate and make sense of things, and being in creative spaces really grounds me. They give me a chance to recharge, reflect, and reconnect with the things that inspire me.

I first came to LAGC after hearing Dr Chris Papadopoulos speak on a webinar about mental health. His message really resonated with me - I felt strongly about helping to educate and reduce stigma within the Cypriot community. After a few conversations, our radio show naturally evolved and we've now been running it for several years. Through it, I've had the privilege of meeting and interviewing some incredible neurodivergent people. I also support with the community cafe in Southgate.

LAGC is a charity very close to my heart. Its approach is innovative, compassionate, and genuinely inclusive. What I enjoy most is the people - every session, event, or conversation introduces me to someone wonderful. I'm constantly learning from young people, families, and fellow volunteers. There is a real sense of community and shared purpose.

To anyone thinking about getting involved with LAGC, I would say: go for it. It is a brilliant charity to volunteer with, especially if you're passionate about inclusion, community, and forward-thinking, neuroaffirming support. You'll make a difference and be part of something genuinely meaningful.

Davide Santoro

Finance Lawyer, Community Volunteer

My name is Davide, I'm from Italy and I've been living in London for the past five years. I work as a finance lawyer, but outside of work I love cooking (and even more, eating), spending time in green spaces, and walking through parks. I also love travelling - I think it's one of the best ways to understand different cultures and see the world from new perspectives. I also enjoy learning about people's stories and experiences - it's something that has always shaped the way I see the world.

When I first moved to London, I wanted to find a community where I could feel connected and also give something back. One Sunday evening, after hours of searching online, I found the LAGC website. I immediately sent an email to Chris, and from that moment I started volunteering with the charity.

Autism has been part of my life since I was born - my brother is autistic, and growing up I always helped my parents support him. When I moved away for university and later for work, I couldn't be physically present for him as much as before. Volunteering became my way of staying connected to that part of my life. I wanted to contribute to raising acceptance around autism, to show how autistic people are unique individuals like everyone else, and to support families who are going through the same journey my family went through. Even a few hours a week can make a real difference, and that's something I deeply believe in.

What I love most about LAGC is the sense of community. Everyone comes with the intention to help, to listen, and to support one another. People know they can ask questions and find understanding. LAGC is a space where everyone is free to be themselves - a space that embraces differences rather than trying to hide them. And today, it's rare to find places like this.

There isn't just one memorable moment - it's the small things that stay with me. A conversation that makes someone feel seen, a parent who feels less alone, or a young person who feels comfortable enough to express themselves freely. These moments remind me why I volunteer.

To anyone thinking about getting involved with LAGC, I would encourage them to come along, spend a few hours with the community, and see for themselves how meaningful it is. Your presence alone can have an impact, and you'll be surprised by how much you receive in return - through people's stories, their resilience, and the sense of belonging that LAGC creates.

We are incredibly grateful to all of our volunteers. We simply could not do any of this work without you. Every newsletter we will be shining a spotlight on two of our fantastic volunteers to celebrate the wonderful contribution they make to our community.

Help Us Learn - Your Feedback Matters

We always want to keep our feedback channel open. Your input helps us understand what is working well, what we can improve, and how our services are impacting the community. We would be incredibly grateful if you could spare a few minutes to complete any or all of the following surveys.

General Feedback

Share any constructive feedback, ideas, or testimonials. Completely anonymous.

Wellbeing Survey

Help us measure our impact on your wellbeing. Anonymous, 3-5 minutes.

Impact Survey

Tell us what's working well and what we could improve. Not anonymous.

Thank you for helping us grow and improve. Every response makes a real difference.

New Partnership with Transport for London

We are pleased to share that we have recently started a partnership with Transport for London, who have asked us to share a range of useful resources with our community. These links provide information about the work TFL is doing to support neurodivergent and autistic people and to make their network more accessible.

• Google Street View for London Tube stations - Explore stations before you travel
• Learn to use public transport - TFL's accessibility travel support
• DLR accessibility information - Access details for the Docklands Light Railway
• Steps into Work - TFL's employment programme
• Motion Spot - Access and Inclusive Design Audit - Guidance on accessible and inclusive design

We hope you find these resources helpful. We will continue to work with TFL to share further updates and opportunities as this partnership develops.

Film Club

We are grateful to Viasat for hosting our most recent film club session. It took place on Wednesday 14th May 2026 from 5pm to 8pm, and we screened the brilliant mystery comedy 'Knives Out'. Everyone had a wonderful time!

We are still looking for a new regular venue for our film club sessions from June onwards. In the meantime, if you are interested in attending future film club sessions, please send us an email to signal your interest and we will get the registration form out to you.

Help Us Grow - Introduce Us to Your Networks

Another way you can help us is by enabling us to meet new businesses and other organisations that we could develop relationships and partnerships with. This is one of the best ways for our charity to continue growing and furthering its impact.

If you have connections that could help, please get in touch by emailing contact@londonautismgroupcharity.org.

Other things still running and growing

Alongside the updates above, we are continuing to run and develop a wide range of other support and community activity, including:

• Monthly Activity Days for autistic adults
• Autistic identity support
• Autistic-led mental health support
• Our befriending scheme
• The Autism Podcast
• Training, consultancy and commissioned engagement work
• Fridays at Farringdon
• Our Autistic Adult Women's Group

A Heartfelt Thank You

We are incredibly grateful to our funders, volunteers, supporters, partners and friends. You make everything we do possible.

Our volunteers are the heart of everything we do. Their generosity in giving their time and energy so freely, driven purely by a desire to help others, is what makes our work possible.

Stay connected with us

Thank you for being part of our community and for supporting our work.

If you are interested in anything you have read about in this newsletter and either wish to support us or access our services, please email us at: contact@londonautismgroupcharity.org.