Autistic Girl Community Fridge
Edinburgh, UK
Hi. I’m Kat and I’m autistic. I run a community fridge and weekly support meetups for autistic and learning disabled men and women in Edinburgh. My main aim is to reduce loneliness in the autistic community whilst providing peer advice to address issues impacting autistic women e.g lack of mental health assistance, food insecurity and unemployment. The meetups are free to attend and information is provided online on our website and in our group WhatsApp chat with over 120 people in it (link available online). No.6 One Stop Shop for Autism highlights our meetups on their Facebook page and their coordinators use word of mouth to identify potential users. Our meetups are officially recommended by The Department of Work and Pensions, GP practices and link workers across Edinburgh who identify and signpost our services to users. At our weekly meetups guests can meet, have a coffee and receive advice from like-minded autistic women and information on other support organisations incl. Goodies Charity, SWAN Scotland and Mad Jam. Our drop-in is held every second Friday from 5.30-8pm at The Alcove, a private room in Bar 50 and is free to attend. It provides a free space which guests can use at their leisure e.g to eat, do craft, play board games or watch the TV. Additionally, with assistance from staff I run and operate seasonal craft workshops at No.6 One Stop Shop for autism. There users can relax with a coffee and make or decorate Christmas, Easter or Halloween crafts. I am now a linked in part of the autistic community in Edinburgh, receiving active support, discounts and free venue hire from local organisations like the Scottish Arts Club, Nor’ Loft, Bar 50, The Commons Club, Brewhemia and many more. This allows for the weekly support meetups to be held in different venues each week depending on private room availability. Guests who attend the meetups automatically become group members gaining access to the discounts and a free Autistic Girl card. As 75% of autistic women are unemployed and many food organisations are inaccessible to low functioning autistic people, using Neighbourly, I now collect and supply any surplus food I can to group members when asked for. I am contacted through the WhatsApp group and and when food is available, I provide it at a location of their choosing. The autism community have been so grateful for what I have done so far for those struggling with autism related difficulties and loneliness. I am very aware of my community and what we need to do to support each other. Whilst there is always more to do, supporting each other goes a long way. Images below include 1. Christmas card making. 2. Christmas baking and decorating at drop in. 3. Example of Autistic Girl card providing discounts. 4. Guests at meetup. 5. Champagne offered at Scottish Arts Club meetup. 6. Halloween decorations put up by member in drop-in. 7. Christmas cake decorating and craft at No.6 One Stop Shop Autism 8. Photo of Kat at first meetup.
What we've received

