Tracey is delighted to have joined the Kent Autistic Trust and Barclays in welcoming the Trust’s new day resource centre to Lordswood on Friday 23rd November. The charity has bought the premises, formerly, a doctors’ surgery, with support from Barclays.

The Kent Autistic Community Trust was started in 1985 by parents of children with Autism Spectrum Condition and in 1989 changed its name to The Kent Autistic Trust.

The charity opened its first small, six bed living service and community based day vocational centre in Medway in 1989. Over the next 23 years the charity has expanded significantly and now has five properties across Medway, Canterbury and Ashford supporting 73 people with Autism.  

Tracey said: “I am delighted that the Kent Autistic Trust has expanded its services to Lordswood. The Trust has proven to successfully provide a vital service in and around Kent, which is fundamental both to those diagnosed with Autism and to their friends and family. I wish the Trust all the best with the new centre and look forward to supporting them in whichever way I possibly can.”

Kay Brunning Chief Executive of the Charity said: “As soon as this site came on the market we realised its potential for us. It is in an ideal property in a great location in Lordswood with easy access to the transport and community resources, it has gardens around it which allow for outdoor activities and is also close to other amenities such as the bowling alley right next door.

More people are being diagnosed with autism and the demand for our services is growing so we need to plan for further increases in service provision. The Trust was set up with the aim of responding to the needs of people with autism in Kent and this additional resource means that we can do just that for more people.”

Barclays provided the finance for the building and Martin Adamson, the charity’s Barclays business manager has also agreed to provide additional support. He and his colleagues have volunteered to spend a day working on the gardens.

Martin Adamson said: “I enjoy working with Kay and her colleagues at the charity and it’s a pleasure to be able to arrange the finance for this excellent extension to their services.”

Kay continued: “Martin has been very good helping us to put together a proposal and following through with regular calls to keep me updated on progress. It is always a struggle to raise money for additional works in the garden areas so the volunteering that he and his Barclays colleagues are doing is a real bonus for us.”

For more information about the Kent Autistic Trust, please click here.