How one Burnley couple have already obtained 3 iPads from Hearts and Minds

A dedicated Burnley couple explain why they got involved in the Hearts and Minds Challenge to obtain iPads for local children with autism....
 
We are parents of two children and our youngest who is now 6 is currently diagnosed with speech and language disorder and sensory issues, this could possibly lead to a diagnoses of AS later.  He has an iPad, and it has taught him so much, there are so many specialised apps and his visual learning is really strong, like so many other children on the spectrum.

So when we saw the advert on TV one evening about 10 months ago about a charity that would exchange 165 old mobiles for 1 iPad, we thought of all the children we could help on the autistic spectrum, or those with social communication problems that didn't have access to one.

We began by creating small posters and giving them to local cafes, charity shops, hairdressers, and college etc so people could have these as drop off places and we could collect from them.  Each phone donated is photographed then put onto our facebook page (Autism and Social Communication Awareness) with a personal thank you.

The word gets round via the page also. We are now awaiting the 3rd iPad and have started collecting for number 4.  The first iPad we donated to Action for ASD in Burnley (our local town), we are very lucky to have this centre in our town it provides support for parents and children in various ways.

The second one we donated to OJs based in Preston, which again supports children and families on the Autistic Spectrum.

By collecting these phones it also gets people talking about Autism and wanting to know more about it......and that's so good because knowledge brings understanding and that's so badly needed.   In April 2013 we persuaded Blackpool Tower to turn blue for Autism Awareness Day and we hope to do the same next year too. 

We also have a twitter account running (Davina Walker @ASC_Awareness). So we started the twitter, the facebook page and I started a blog (apieceofthepuzzleblog.com) all at Easter ........it's all helped and taught me a lot, because before Easter I didn't really know how to use facebook or any social media, and now I do it all....

------------------------

Find out more about Autism and Social Communication Awareness here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Autism-and-Social-Communication-Awareness/379250578856308?hc_location=timeline

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ASC_Awareness

Blog:  http://apieceofthepuzzleblog.com/

------------------------

Could an iPad help your child too?

If you live in Britain, simply collect 165 old mobile phones and the Manchester-based charity Hearts and Minds will exchange them for a new iPad.

Details here:

Website: : heartsandmindsphones.co.uk/
Facebook: facebook.com/HeartsAndMindsUK 

Twitter: @handmchallenge

Pinterest: Hearts and Minds

YouTube: HeartsAndMindsUK

Google+: Hearts and Minds

More about the charity here: Hearts & Minds Challenge