HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh attended a special dinner event hosted by the National Autistic Society on Thursday 12 February, entitled ‘Inclusive Futures: Education, Employment, and Autism’.
The event, which was held at Clapham Michelin-Starred restaurant Trinity, was attended by guests including business leaders and supporters of the charity. Guests heard first-hand about the challenges faced by young autistic people, alongside the charity’s vision to increase the number of autistic people in employment through family support, inclusive education and more autism-friendly accredited employers.
The Duchess of Edinburgh, who has been Royal Patron of the National Autistic Society since 2003, spent time talking to keynote speaker Grace Liu. Grace is autistic and spoke at length about the barriers she had to overcome at school and at the start of her career, describing years of misunderstanding and the inconsistent support she experienced in previous jobs. She also highlighted how the right adjustments have enabled her to thrive, culminating in her success as an artist, published author and valued member of staff at the National Autistic Society. Grace called for better support in schools and for employers to recognise the strengths that autistic people can bring to the workplace. According to data from the National Autistic Society, only 26% of autistic pupils feel happy at school, and only 30% of autistic people are in any type of employment.
Chief Executive of the National Autistic Society, Caroline Stevens, discussed the charity’s plans to work with education providers, the autistic community and employers to enable smoother transitions and strengthen pathways into meaningful employment for autistic young people.
Adam Byatt, chef and owner of Trinity, is a keen supporter of the National Autistic Society. His 17-year-old daughter Rosie, who is autistic, works in Trinity’s kitchen after Adam made arrangements to support her success in the working environment, while also allowing her to be her own person and express herself creatively. Rosie designed the canapés presented to the guests and acted as a server on the night.
Adam, who is also Chairman of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, was named Imbibe’s Restaurant Personality of The Year in 2017 as a result of his influence on London’s dining scene and his commitment to sharing knowledge with the future generations of young chefs.
Adam said: “If our lived experience has taught us anything, it’s that young autistic people have the ability to become their own success stories. But they need vital support, guidance, understanding, and kindness to succeed. Cooking has always been a place of comfort for Rosie and an opportunity for her to express her creativity, so it was natural for her to begin her career with us in the kitchen at Trinity. Watching her in the kitchen, being part of a team and doing something so special every day gives us a great sense of pride.
“The National Autistic Society is a remarkable organisation which opens doors for autistic people, and we were very proud to support the charity with this very special dinner.”
Caroline Stevens, Chief Executive at the National Autistic Society, said: “We were delighted that Her Royal Highness was able to join us for the evening. It was a wonderful opportunity to shed light on the challenges, and advantages, that autistic young people are currently facing.
“On behalf of the charity, I’d like to thank Adam and the rest of the team at Trinity for hosting us and for all of their hard work behind the scenes which ensured that everyone had a fantastic night.”
