Hi everyone!
September is already proving to be an incredibly busy month, and I am super excited with the preparations for the 15th anniversary of Autism’s Got Talent, taking place on 10th October.
It’s hard to believe that we are celebrating 15 years of this very special event! Over the years, Autism’s Got Talent has given so many talented autistic performers the opportunity to take to the stage, showcase their abilities and, most importantly, shine.
We are still looking for sponsors to support this year’s Autism’s Got Talent, so if you, your business or someone you know would like to get involved and help us make our 15th anniversary celebration extra special, you can find all the sponsorship details here in 2Shades:
We are also still buzzing from the huge success of Autism & Art. The response to the exhibition was absolutely wonderful, and it was fantastic to see so much incredible creativity on display.
In fact, it was such a success that Marcus Jake at the FirePit Gallery, with the help of one of our patrons, Steven Smith, has agreed to host Autism & Art again next year!
So, to all of our wonderful artists and budding artists out there, please get painting and creating. You could have the opportunity to see your artwork proudly displayed at next year’s exhibition. We cannot wait to see what you create!
We also managed to let our hair down a little at the gallery with a fantastic karaoke evening. It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the birthdays of Marcus Jake and another of our biggest supporters, talented artist and photographer Anne-Marie Bickerton. There was plenty of singing, laughter and, most importantly, a chance to celebrate with some very special friends and supporters.
Another great moment came courtesy of Aston Avery, who did us proud at Chelmsford Theatre when he was Highly Commended at the BBC Make a Difference Awards.
What a sleek and wonderful awards show it was, with so many impressive and inspiring entries. It was fantastic to see people being recognised for the difference they make within their communities, and we were extremely proud to see Aston receive such well-deserved recognition.
Finally, don’t forget to get your tickets for the 15th anniversary of Autism’s Got Talent on 10th October. It promises to be another unforgettable evening celebrating some truly incredible talent.
You can get your tickets here:
Thank you, as always, for your continued support. There is so much happening, and I’m looking forward to sharing more news with you very soon!
Anna Kennedy OBE
ANNA’S BOOK REVIEW
La Verdad Sobre el Autismo – Lo que nadie quiere contar
The Truth About Autism – What Nobody Wants to Talk About
By Fernando Cabal
For almost 30 years, I have been campaigning for autistic children and adults and, just as importantly, for the families who love them, care for them and sometimes have to fight very hard to get the right support.
If there is one thing I have learned over the years, it is that there is no single autism story.
Every autistic person is different, every family is different, and their experiences can be very different too.
Fernando Cabal’s La Verdad Sobre el Autismo is not an easy or comfortable read, and I don’t think it is meant to be.
Fernando wants people to talk about a side of autism that he believes is too often overlooked.
We quite rightly celebrate autistic talent, achievements and difference. Through my charity and Autism’s Got Talent, I have had the privilege of meeting some incredible autistic performers, artists, speakers and young people who have achieved things that perhaps other people once thought were impossible.
I will always celebrate those achievements.
However, we must also make sure we don’t forget autistic people with more complex support needs, like my son Angelo, and the families supporting them day and night.
Fernando writes about autistic people who may be non-speaking or pre-verbal, who may self-injure, who need round-the-clock supervision or who will require significant support throughout their lives.
This is a reality for many families, and their voices matter too.
One part of the book that particularly struck a chord with me was the question of what happens when an autistic child becomes an autistic adult.
Autism doesn’t suddenly stop when someone turns 18 or 25.
Fernando challenges systems that diagnose too late, fail to provide the right educational support and then leave families fighting their way through yet more paperwork and bureaucracy when their children become adults.
Although he is writing mainly about the situation in Spain, I know many families here in the UK will recognise some of these same worries.
What happens when education finishes?
Where is the right support?
Where are the opportunities, appropriate services, supported living and specialist provision for those who need it?
Then there is the question that I know keeps many parents awake at night:
Who will look after my son or daughter when I am no longer here?
This is something I have also raised through my petition, and as a mam of two autistic sons, that question is very close to my heart.
There will be parts of this book, including some of its language and arguments, that autistic people, advocates and professionals may disagree with or challenge. That is OK. We do need these conversations.
No one person, organisation, campaigner or author can speak for everyone across such a wide and diverse spectrum.
We absolutely need to listen to autistic voices. We also need to remember those autistic people who cannot easily tell us what they need and who rely on the people who know and love them to advocate alongside them.
For me, Fernando Cabal’s book leaves us with an important challenge.
Inclusion has to be more than a word.
It has to mean something in real people’s everyday lives.
Yes, let’s celebrate autistic talent and achievement.
But let’s also talk about the difficult days, the sleepless nights I shared recently, the lack of services, the battles for support and the worries about the future.
Those stories matter too.
If La Verdad Sobre el Autismo gets governments, professionals and society talking about autistic people and families who sometimes feel forgotten or invisible, then perhaps it has started a conversation that we very much need to have.
Anna Kennedy OBE
La Verdad Sobre el Autismo – Lo que nadie quiere contar by Fernando Cabal was published by Mandala Ediciones in August 2026.
Anna Kennedy OBE
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