Autism can have a traumatic effect on individuals and can turn families upside down with the problems it can cause.

People with autism have said that the world, to them, is a mass of people, places and events which they struggle to make sense of, and which can cause them considerable anxiety. Anything that can be done to relieve this must be encouraged.

We must therefore hope that people get behind and provide much-needed funds for the National Autistic Society to keep the vital out-of-school clubs open across our region.