World Autism Day Concert

Craegmoor presents a classical concert in celebration of World Autism Day. This event will take place at Huntingdon Hall in Worcester on Friday 1st April 2011.

The concert features highly acclaimed, classical concert pianist, Duncan Honeybourne.

Coinciding with World Autism Day (2nd April), this charity concert aims to raise awareness of Autism and to celebrate the fantastic achievements of people with Autistic Spectrum Conditions (ASC).

Duncan will share his experiences of being diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, as well as performing a selection of classical pieces.

Tickets cost £10 and all proceeds will go to local charity Autism West Midlands and the Hand in Hand orphanage in Ghana.

To buy tickets for this event contact Huntingdon Hall’s box office directly on 01905 611 427.

Autistic Spectrum Conditions

ASC covers a range of diagnoses, including Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. The term reflects the huge variation in the way individuals experience ASC, ranging from people who have above average intelligence to those with severe learning disabilities.

ASC generally affects the way a person relates to other people, causing confusion in social situations. People with ASC are often fantastically talented, but find interaction with others challenging or stressful. Often they struggle to read signals such as body language or tone of voice and rely on strict routines and specific interests to help them make sense of the world.

Autism West Midlands

Autism West Midlands was started by a group of parents in the 1980s. It is the principal provider of autism services for children and adults in the West Midlands.

AWM aims to raise awareness of the condition and to improve the support provided for people with ASC and their families.

Hand in Hand

Hand in Hand is a charitable community in Ghana. Many people in rural Africa view disabilities as a curse and often children with physical or learning disabilities (some of whom also have autism) are abandoned. Hand in Hand provides housing, food and care as well as supporting those brought up in the community to live independently when they get older.

Craegmoor’s Quality Development Lead Advisor for Autism, Sue Hatton, first visited the community in 2007. Sue was so impressed with the support Hand in Hand provides that she returned in 2009. In March this year she will travel to Ghana once more to provide autism training and to spend time with those who live there.

Duncan Honeybourne

Duncan Honeybourne is an award winning, classical concert pianist. He studied at the Birmingham Conservatoire where he graduated with First Class Honours.

It was while at the Conservatoire that Duncan received a diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome in 1999. He will begin the evening’s performance by discussing his experience how his life has changed since being diagnosed.  He will then play a number of classical pieces including works by Schumann and Brahms.

Duncan has enjoyed a distinguished career throughout Britain and Ireland, performing both standard and contemporary works. As a solo pianist, he has performed more than 25 different concertos and given hundreds of recitals at major venues in London, Birmingham, Dublin and most major cities. He has toured extensively to music societies, festivals and arts centres and has broadcast on BBC and RTE radio and television. His first CD, of piano music by Moeran and Howells, was released by Winterbourne Records in 2010