CARDIFF, Wales:  Autism Cymru is one of eight autism charities recommended by New Philanthropy Capital in its latest report.

Autism Cymru was launched in 2001 after a survey carried out by the Shirley Foundation had highlighted the need for a Welsh national charity to help influence the newly formed Welsh Assembly Government and to provide a source of independent and authoritative information and advice.

Since then, Autism Cymru has developed three main areas of activity. It works with both the Welsh Assembly government and local authorities to help them think strategically about autism and develop better services. It has developed training to over 6,000 families, practitioners and people with autism in Wales, as wll as training Welsh police to recognise and deal with people with autism whose behaviour might be misinterpreted as anti-social or criminal. It also runs a pioneering bi-lingual website, Awares, visited by 16,000 people each week, and a unique annual international virtual autism conference, at which 10,000 delegates and more than 60 of the world's top autism experts are online. In addition, Autism Cymru organises regular autism seminars and conferences in Wales.

In 2006, Autism Cymru was made charity of the year by Channel S4C, the Welsh-language channel.

(Source:  Autism Cymru, September 18, 2007)