We are delighted to announce this year’s successful charities to be awarded grants for their work to support autistic people and their families, through our Boshier Grant Scheme. 

Our charity launched the annual Boshier Grant Scheme in 2023 in partnership with Thea and Peter Boshier. Thea and Peter have both personal and professional connections to autism and have experienced first-hand the challenges faced by autistic people and their families. 

The scheme awards grants of up to £25,000 to registered charities across the UK, which share our aim to create a society that works for autistic people. 

The three charities awarded funding this year are: 

• Brook Young People will create a suite of healthy relationship resources to ensure that Relationships and Sex Education information sessions meet the needs of autistic young people during key stages of their adolescent development. The resources will be co-designed by autistic young people. 
• Restraint Reduction Network will create resources to improve the experience of autistic people during pregnancy and childbirth, these will include a resource specifically for autistic people and a resource for midwives, doctors and birthing units discussing how their services can be adapted to improve experiences for autistic individuals. Autistic people will co-produce both resources.  
• Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum will work to tackle the unmet needs of autistic children, young people and their carers from ethnic minority communities by providing culturally competent peer and family support, advocacy and delivering training to address and reduce cultural stigma. 

Kim Featherstone, Assistant Director of Fundraising and Supporter Engagement at the National Autistic Society said: "Here at The National Autistic Society we are delighted to announce the three charities to receive grants from our Boshier Grant Scheme this year. We are excited to see what these wonderful organisations achieve and are thrilled that each grant will be making possible work that will support autistic people and their families, transform lives and help create a society that works for autistic people. 

We’d like to say a huge congratulations to all the successful charities, and a big thank you to Thea and Peter Boshier for partnering with our charity to create this scheme" 

Thea and Peter Boshier, funders of the project, said: “We are once again delighted to be supporting such imaginative charities working alongside autistic people through the second year of the Boshier Grant Scheme. We are sure that these grants will make a huge impact, and we look forward to seeing the outcome of the work they propose to carry out over the coming year."  

A spokesperson for the Brook Young People said: "At Brook, we believe that all young people deserve access to high quality, inclusive relationships and sex education (RSE). However, we also know that many schools are not currently equipped with the resources they need to make RSE accessible for autistic young people. Thanks to the Boshier Grant Scheme, Brook is now co-designing a new suite of lesson plans, guides and activities with autistic young people, based on their needs and experiences of RSE. These new accessible resources will empower autistic young people with the knowledge and skills they need to manage their own sexual health and develop healthy relationships." 

A spokesperson for Restraint Reduction Network said: "The Restraint Reduction Network are delighted to have been awarded the Boshier Grant funding. Far too often autistic people and their babies are impacted by interactions and practices which conflict with their most natural way of being, causing discomfort and distress. We are looking forward to developing useful and right respecting resources to help people and staff support autistic pregnancy and parenting." 

A spokesperson for Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum said: "We are grateful and thrilled to receive the Boshier Grant, which will enable Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum to provide personalised support for carers of autistic people from minority communities. The grant not only helps us meet the growing demand for this service but also carers with the resources and guidance they need to navigate their unique challenges. The Boshier Grant has also enabled us to receive training on how to recognise and support the mental health needs of autistic people. We are really excited to grow and to make a difference around understanding autism and breaking down stigmas in the community." 

The application period for the next funding cycle of the Boshier Grant Scheme is due to open in July 2025. We will update our website with further information as the launch period approaches.
 

Further information

• Read more about our previous Boshier Grant Scheme winners.