Spectrum Women's
Autism Group
Annual Report
For the year ending
June 2019
Spectrurn Women's Autism Group - Registered Cha]ity in Northern Ireland NtC106799
CIO SpectnJ]n Ce]rtre, 14 North]and Row, Dullgannon. BT71 GAP

Spectrurn W0￿en'S AUL5￿ Group- Registered Charity in Northern ]relaDd MC106799
Our Purposes and beneficiaries
Our governing document is OUT Constitution wbich outlines the purposes and benefioaries of
Spectrum Women's Autism Group.
SpectrutD Women's Autis]n Group is established to promote the relief of Autistic women. and their
Family and Carers resident in Northern Ireland and the Repub]ic of Ireland thTough the following:
to promote acceptance and awareness of female presenlatioDS of Aulism within the general
public. relevant professionals and organisariolls in the private, voluntary and statutory
secto￿,
the provisioll of help. guidance and infomiation to Autistic women members and the
pIomotion of a network of support among such w0￿en, with the di￿ of i￿PrOvIng their
quality of life alld iucreasiug their socia] networks,
. provision of re￿ational amities and the promotion of the provision of apwopriate
re￿eatiOnal faolities to overcome isolation.
Our Services
In settillg our objecrÉves and pla]]niDg our artivities fo[ the year tbe tn￿teeS have given careful
consideration to the Chaiity COMMI￿0￿ for Northern Ireland's guidance on public benefit to
ensure that the arttvities have helped to achieve the charity'5 puryoses and provide a public benefit
to tlje beneficiaries. We also listen to the feedback froD) our beneficiaries and ty to plan activities
that provide a pub]ic benefit to them.
I confirni that all the trustees have collylied with their duty under charity law to have regard to the
Commission's public benefit guidance when exercising any powers or duties to whith the guidance
is relevant.
One of the Lnain PUTposes of SpectnllD Wornen's Autism Group. as outlined alK)ve is the reduction
of soaal isolation. This is targetted througb both a secret Facebook group aud face to face
meetings. The FaceEM)ok gTOUP is secret so that only the meulbetsbip is known to the members, as
sO￿e rnernber5 do not fed comfortable with groups where other people can see that they aTe a
men]beT of it. We also have a pub]ic Facebook page and website that people can use to link in with
the charity. Currently there are 92 membws of this group and tbis nujnber continues rise, with new
te￿berS being added each month. It aims to provide a save and supportive space to discuss issues
affecting mernbeTS and to arrange social events. For sO￿e members this is the only way they can
connect with other melltt)ers and provides some social iDteractÉon.

SpeCtn￿￿ Women's Autism Grnup- Registered CILatity in Northern Ireland NIC106799
Spectrum Won]en's Autism Group's monthly meetings are the core activity of the gTOUP. We
Cllrrently have 18 members registered to attend these meetings and normally have between 10 and
15 in attendance each time. Those membets registered ￿ altend the monthly meetings have been
asked to pay an annual fee of £20, which can paid as they can thmugh the year. There is no
pre&sure for anyone to pay and we would never tum someone away if they could not afford to
attelld. These meetings provide Membe￿ the opportunity to meet with other autistic women in a
relaxed 3nd comforthble fthion. For ]nany of the members this is the ODly time that they feel that
can relax and be themselves and Dot have to wear a 'mask'. The group meetings are about peer
support as we Gill all use our own e%periences ro he]p each other.
C said 'q have fouDd TDY tr￿l . its a save place for me to be myself and not pretend to be
what others want me to be"
A range of activities are covered in these meetings wbith in the last year have included:
Wendy PorteT w&8 invited to the group to give advice on dothing colours and styling, which
is an area of difficulty for many membeTS.
Atajk on autism Provided by Joanne Douglas, ConsulLwt alld CILartered Psychologisl The
SpecOillD Dia￿OStic, Assessment and Therapy Centre. This provided an opportunity to
educate ourselves on autis￿ alld pTovide strategies ro help OU￿1VeS majjage the condition.
A creative writing workshop with Finn Mollah￿ author of Know Your Spectrum. with the
aim of helping membaB to express tbemselves. Difficulty with self expression is a
comrnon difficulty in autistic wple.
Craft activities inc]udmg Orig￿ jewellery lljaking and card making. Dilling an activity
members are often n)ore comfortable to ta]k as the &wtatioD of eye contart is removed
and provides a starter for collversatio￿ These are difficulties that are common in autistn.
Clux annual Clllistmas party whith i% opportunity for fun and games. which push niembers
out of their comfort zone but in a supportive euviTonment.
Talks on mental hea]th issues and ways in which to stay mentally well. Mental health
Proble￿s, in paiticular a]]xiety and depressio￿ are conllnon issues for n￿lY autistic women
so it is important for membeTS to develop skills to manage the conditions and help
prevention of them. The ai)n is to improve their quality of life.
M said "The sllpport, safe space and companionship that the women's group has offered
to ]De IH5 been incredible. I've been able to learn so rnucb about living with ASpe￿er,s.
Being able to discuss different aspects of my life withAsperger's while also hearing
how it affects othets has given me confidence to embrace my differences, Dot bide
them."

Spectnlln Women's Autism Grnup- Registered Charity in NortheTD Ireland NIC106799
Alongside tILe monthly meetings a range of soctal outings have beeD a￿anged. These indude,.
Meetings in a coffee shop to provide and opportunity for cbat in a relaxed environment.
After this some ￿e￿be[s would have gone shoppin& something which can be challenging
for autistic people due to se]￿)ry issues, but with the support provided they were able to do
Trips to shows at the Waterfront Hall and Grand Operd House in Belfas¢ and cinema trips.
These call be (bfficult for autsslic people due to seThs0ry issues or simply soci81 isolation and
having no one to go with them. We provide support and an oppormnity to bave others to
with them.
Meals out which can p05e challenges foT many rnembets. but we provide support to ty to
overcome these issues. We all understaDd the issues and accept tbat we tend to want to eat
in the same places aud have the 5atoe food each time, which other people perceive as
odd.
We have had trips io the Ulster Museum whid] provide a social opportunity in an
environrnent that many of the membets aTe comfortable with and can pursue their interests.
B said'since my daughtEr bas been involved in the group she has really grown in
confidence and maturity. ￿eVIOUslY she only had one frien¢ but througb the group she
now has a whole group of frAelld5 and JD active social calender. Her koowledge and
understanding of autism has grown and she now slwes and uses her experiences to I￿1p
others.-
In tern￿ of our aim the educate Othe￿ on the fe￿￿e p￿￿tatiOll of autisll4 a stnall g￿llp of the
trustees and members met with Marie Mccloy from the Empower Project. The Empower Project
have had increasing numbers of autistic girls in their service and we were able to provide Strate￿eS
and ideas of how they could best support them. The trLLStees are fully co]]]n]itted to educating
others on the female preselltation of autism and will do so in their day to lives when the
opportunities arise. We believe that through educating autistn that the live5 of all autislic won)en
can be improvel beyond those involved with specU￿rn WorneD'S Autism Group.
Risk of harm and private benefit
By the natUTe of the charity being based on peer support there is a privats benefit in terms of
support and social benefits, not £inancial, to the Irustees. but this is illcideutsl to the pub]ic benefit.
The ftustees recognise that theTe may be a risk of psychologic31 hatm from the issoes that may
come up for discussioll. We have the support of a Consultant and Chariernl Psychologist who

Spectrll￿ W0￿en'S Auti5￿ Group- Registered Charity in Northerll Ireland NIC106799
provides support to the charity. As part of out Membe￿Ip ryistration foTni we have next of kin
details that we can contact if there is a significant concern. Attendees at the groups are made aware
of the main topic of discussion in a(Ivance and can choose not to attend if it is something that they
can not deal with at that tiLlle. Every effort is made in the planning of the group activities to
ini￿se the risk of harni.
I confirn] that there are llo serious illcideDts or Ott￿ llHtters that the trUStee5 should have brought to
the Comujission's aitention.
Charity Trustees as of end June 2019
Miss Deborah Anne Bond
Chair
MTS Arnanda Wales
Mrs Karen E]izabeth Ilghe
Secretary
Mrs Clare Amanda Mccleary
Membership Secretary
Dr Margaret Elizknth Copeland OTdiuary ￿e￿ber
Mrs Jennifer Lorraine Matcbett
dinary member
Other Charity Trustees in the year to June 2019
Mi&s Kathryn Helen McArdle
Had to stand down in Ja]Mary 2019 for persollal reasons
Deborab Bond. Chair
Amanda Wales, TreasuTer