12/09/2024
We recently spoke with Emilie and Cara from Daisy Chain, and I’m so excited to share their story with you. Daisy Chain is an amazing charity that supports autistic and neurodivergent individuals by providing personalised care, promoting wellbeing, and advocating for inclusion. Founded in 2003, Daisy Chain has grown into a lifeline for over 5,000 families each year, offering everything from social clubs to animal therapy. It’s a truly inspiring charity making a real difference! Check out their story below.
'Daisy Chain is dedicated to empowering autistic and neurodivergent individuals by providing holistic, person-centered services, while promoting training, wellbeing, inclusion, and acceptance regionally and nationwide. Founded in 2003 by Lesley Hanson, inspired by her son Jacob's autism diagnosis, the charity emerged from the lack of local support for autistic people. Lesley dreamed of creating a place where autistic children and adults could receive personalized care, feel safe, and be their authentic selves. Despite Lesley's tragic passing in 2004, her vision came to life, and Daisy Chain opened its doors a year after her dream began.
Initially a community initiative for autistic children and young people, Daisy Chain has grown to support adults as well. The charity operates from a 5.5-acre site offering state-of-the-art facilities, therapeutic animal therapy, and community outreach across the North East. Continuously adapting to the needs of its beneficiaries, Daisy Chain now provides services to over 5,000 families and neurodiverse individuals each year, offering social clubs, respite care, wellbeing programs, independent living skills, employability support, and animal therapy.
Most recently, over 80 runners raised funds for the charity by participating in the Great North Run, the UK's biggest half marathon, proudly wearing sustainable T-shirts made out of recycled water bottles, provided by Selekt.'
Let’s celebrate and continue building a community that uplifts and supports one another!
Be sure to check out the inspiring photos below that Emilie and Cara have shared from their journey with Daisy Chain project, capturing the incredible work they do and the positive impact they’ve made.