Day trips and outings can often prove difficult for young people and adults with Autism. However, in more recent years a greater awareness has meant that many venues have developed strategies to become more inclusive. Many local cinemas, including Blackburn Vue, have autism friendly screenings throughout the week. Staff are trained to understand the needs of those with Autism, the lights are left on low, snacks can be brought from home and the volume is lower to allow for sound sensitivity. Many of the local trampoline parks offer autism friendly sessions where the music is turned down and there are a lower number of participants on the trampolines, Jump Nation and Energi offer this package. Sensory rooms are often a popular option for children with Autism, ‘The Space Centre’ is a local example of this and has been expanding over recent years, it now has 3 fantastic sensory rooms offering a range of experiences to enjoy. ‘Boomerang’ play centre is also autism friendly as it was designed specifically for children with special needs. Shopping can be particularly difficult for those with Autism and many shops now offer a ‘quiet hour’ to help with this. The Trafford Centre have also been working with a charity to develop autism friendly strategies, they now offer a visual guide to help parents and carers plan for a trip, including photos of the shops, days of the week to show when you will be visiting and much more. These can be downloaded by following the link in the blog.