We are delighted and excited that our speaker this year will be John Williams, stand up comedian and author of the book and blog ‘My Son’s not Rainman’. Here’s what his website says about him:
"I'm a comedian... it's what I do. I used to always talk about family life on stage, but there was one crucial bit of our story I always missed out, and that was the bit about my son having autism and cerebral palsy. Yet despite his diagnosis, and maybe even sometimes because of it, there is joy in our world. That's all this is about. It isn't a story about autism - it's a story about a young boy who happens to have autism, there's a difference.The show first premiered at the Edinburgh Festival in 2013. Since then it has been performed at theatres, comedy clubs, headteacher conferences, autism events, teacher training days and fundraisers across the UK and Ireland. An excerpt was recorded for Radio 4 'Four Thought' and was selected by the BBC as one of their Magic Moments of Radio 2015 as well as featuring on Radio 4's Pick of the Year.The book telling our story 'My Son's Not Rainman' was published by Michael O'Mara Books on 1 September 2016."
The first 30 minutes or so of the meeting will deal with our AGM buinsess, including voting in a new Chair. As you may have seen in the newsletter, current volunteer chair Emma Whitfield is stepping down this year after six years in the role, but very happily past chair Sara Truman has been persuaded to stand for re-election. Haywood Drake has also kindly agreed to stand for re-election as treasurer. If you would like to put your name forward for either of these roles, please email Sara at nas@mugsy.org by 15th June.
If you were to see John perform in London, Manchester or Edinburgh, you would pay £15 or more, so we are asking anyone who can to donate £10 for the evening. You can either give cash on the door or donate via our justgiving page: www.justgiving.com/nassurreybranch
We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on 5th July - please email Emma at emma@mugsy.org with ‘AGM’ in the subject to let me know if you are planning on coming so we have a rough idea of numbers.
