Our Autistic Pride and Craft Fair Brighton with Puzzle Bored

In 2019 I was walking to the shop, it was April, Autism 'Awareness' month, the tragedy narrative around autistic people was being pushed left right and centre by the media, by big charities like National Autistic Society and Ambitous About Autism who were and are coining it in off Autistic peoples mere existence...... and I thought 'this isn't right!'.

What we need is a way of platforming Autistic people so money goes straight to them. NAS and Ambitious do little to nothing for autistic adults, one makes money off them and the other pushes compliance based training programmes.

Speaking for us as if we don't exist.....

So I decided to put the idea of an Autistic Pride to the other AIM directors, we held our first one in April that year, it was a huge success so we decided to combine it with an autistic craft fair.

A hall full of autistic people selling things they'd made or written, books, sensory goods, jewellery, clothing the list is endless and we've never looked back.

This AIM Pride and Craft Fair was our first in Brighton, we held it in partnership with a wonderful business, a place called Puzzle Bored Mark the owner is AuDHD and sells puzzles platforming local artists work, and serves lovely teas, coffees and cakes. Puzzle Bored is a hub for the local community, it facilitates home ed groups, comedy nights and meet ups. Its a great resource for neurodivergent people young and old.

The stallholders and speakers make the Pride and Craft Fairs what they are, we at AIM simply provide the platform and facilitate them, they are incredible and we appreatiate them so much.

Photos by my incredible husband Owen Liddle.

With Dean Beadle Speaker Erin Ekins Emergent Divergence: The neurodivergent ramblings of David Gray-Hammond Callum Brazzo Autistic Led Julia Allison Mcdonald, Vijay Panchal Fine Artist and all the stall holders including Joy Wilkins and Carlton Wood, Katie Teale and everyone else and especially to Owen and Jenny Payne xxxxx