At Support Staffordshire, we love to celebrate important milestones that our members achieve, and we’re always proud to shine a light on organisations rooted in lived experience and driven by deep commitment to local communities. One such organisation is BLAST (Burntwood & Lichfield Autism Support Together) — a grassroots, parent-led charity making a powerful difference to autistic children, young people and their families across Staffordshire. Recently, BLAST celebrated its 7th birthday, and as April was Autism Acceptance Month, it seemed fitting to recognise an organisation that has worked so hard to help its members feel accepted — by creating safe spaces where people can be themselves.
Turning challenge into community
BLAST was founded by Jill Hart-Sanderson and began with Jill’s lived experience — and with the reality of trying to navigate autism-related support and the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) system as a parent. She described how isolating it can feel when there’s little local understanding, limited peer support, and no clear place to turn for practical, trustworthy help. Seeing that nothing locally worked “in the same way”, Jill set out to create what she wished had existed for her own family: a supportive network that brings parents, children and trusted professionals together, shares expertise openly, and stays rooted in what families need on the ground.
BLAST started as a grassroots community group with no funding, opening its doors on 21 March 2019 in a library space in Lichfield. Jill spoke honestly about the early resistance she faced — and how she kept going. In time, she secured the use of an empty room for a period at no cost. In those first months, she covered the essentials herself, from printer paper to posters and publicity, because making support available locally mattered more than waiting for everything to be in place.
From the outset, accessibility was a founding principle. Jill ensured BLAST would be free or low-cost — written into the organisation’s constitution — so families are not priced out of the support they need. She also drew on her professional background in management, leadership, and organising training and conferences, as well as her connections with specialists, to bring credible guest speakers into the community and help knowledge reach local families. Today, BLAST supports autistic young people, young adults and their families across Staffordshire and surrounding areas. Remaining fully independent and run by parent carers, the charity continues to be shaped by lived experience — with empathy, understanding and authenticity at the heart of everything it does.
Safe spaces designed with autistic children in mind
At the heart of BLAST’s work is a clear focus: creating safe, welcoming environments where autistic children and young people feel comfortable, accepted and free to be themselves. BLAST recognises that inclusion does not always mean fitting into mainstream spaces — which can often feel overwhelming or inaccessible. Instead, BLAST shapes its sessions around what autistic children need to feel safe, with emotional wellbeing, sensory awareness and flexibility built in from the start.
From autism‑friendly cinema days and community meet‑ups to creative, social and physical activities such as archery and paddle‑boarding, BLAST offers opportunities that many families have previously had to avoid. Jill explained that families often arrive carrying the “two hours before” that nobody sees: the anxiety, sensory overload and sheer effort it can take just to get through the door. That’s why sessions are designed to reduce pressure and overwhelm — so children can take part in ways that feel right for them, without judgement.
BLAST creates this sense of safety through practical, thoughtful adjustments that make activities more predictable and easier to access for autistic children and young people. This includes:
- Predictability and clear information: helping children and families know what will happen and when, with simple routines, clear expectations, and space to step out if needed.
- A thoughtful sensory environment: reducing avoidable triggers where possible (for example harsh lighting, strong smells, unnecessary background noise) and offering calmer areas to regulate.
- Choice and control: giving children options (where to sit, how to take part, when to pause) so they feel more in control of sensory input and social demand.
- Flexible participation: it’s okay to move, stim, take breaks, make noise, or join in alongside an adult — there is no “one right way” to participate.
- Small‑group feel and understanding adults: supportive staff and volunteers who recognise signs of overload and respond with empathy, not pressure.
- Inclusion that goes beyond access: adapting activities so autistic children can take part comfortably — whether that’s a quieter film screening, a calmer swim session, or a session designed around sensory needs.
For families, these adjustments can be the difference between another activity they have to avoid and a place where their child can genuinely belong. Many parents describe BLAST sessions as the first time their child has been able to join in with confidence — building self‑belief, enjoying shared experiences, and connecting with others who understand.
Stronger together: support, solidarity and a seat at the table
While BLAST is best known for the activities it runs for autistic children and young people, Jill is clear that supporting parents and carers is just as central to its purpose. She described how isolating it can feel to be constantly navigating systems, appointments and paperwork — often while managing the challenges that happen long before a family arrives anywhere (the “two hours before” that others don’t see). BLAST aims to be a place where parents can talk openly, feel less alone, and connect with others who truly understand.
Alongside peer support, BLAST runs workshops to help families better understand autism and find practical approaches to everyday challenges. Sessions are shaped by lived experience and focus on real‑life situations rather than one‑size‑fits‑all advice. When timely issues arise — such as consultations, policy updates or changes that affect local support — BLAST helps to break down what parents need to know and what they can do next, often by bringing in trusted guest speakers and specialists families can rely on.
BLAST also helps families to be heard beyond its own sessions. The charity plays an active advocacy role, working alongside local authorities and the NHS so autistic voices and lived experience can shape services. Jill explained that BLAST is fully independent and that its loyalties lie first and foremost with parent carers and their children: it does not share family data, but contributes insight by attending meetings and sitting on advisory boards. Sometimes, Jill may be the only person in the room representing the neurodivergent community across the county — supported by BLAST ambassadors who bring the voices of the wider membership into these conversations in a professional and objective way. Change can feel slow, but having a seat at the table means BLAST can spot what’s coming, challenge assumptions and push for services that better reflect real needs.
- Parent and carer sessions: a welcoming space to share experiences, ask questions and feel less alone.
- Practical workshops: lived‑experience guidance for everyday challenges, focused on what works in real life.
- Timely updates made clear: support to understand consultations, policy changes and what to do next.
- Trusted guest speakers: bringing in specialists so information is credible, accessible and relevant.
- Peer connection and community: parents supporting parents, building relationships that often continue outside sessions.
- Advocacy and representation: feeding members’ experiences into system discussions to influence local services.
- Independence and trust: representing lived experience without sharing family data.
For many families, this mix of practical knowledge, genuine connection and strong representation is what makes BLAST different. It helps parents feel more confident in advocating for their child, more informed about what support is available, and more supported as they navigate a system that can otherwise feel overwhelming.
A helping hand at the start — and beyond
BLAST has been a member of Support Staffordshire since its early days, and Jill described the relationship as a positive part of the charity’s journey from “getting started” to becoming established. In the beginning, Support Staffordshire offered practical pointers and reassurance around governance and the steps involved in becoming a registered charity — the kind of behind‑the‑scenes support that helps small, volunteer‑led groups build strong foundations.
Like many grassroots organisations, BLAST is powered by passion, lived experience and volunteers — but that can bring real challenges behind the scenes. When you don’t have paid staff, the “boring stuff” still has to be done: governance, policies, monitoring and reporting, data systems, DBS checks, training, safeguarding, and all the admin that keeps services safe and sustainable. At the same time, small groups are often trying to keep activities free or low-cost for families, which makes it harder to build reserves, invest in digital tools, or pay for events and training that could strengthen the organisation. Jill also reflected on how funding and profile can become a cycle — organisations with the money for systems, marketing and staff are better placed to access more opportunities, while grassroots groups can be left doing vital work with very little capacity. Even so, being connected through Support Staffordshire membership continues to matter — creating opportunities to raise BLAST’s profile and share its impact through communications such as the VCSE e-bulletin and member stories. We can also help link BLAST in with local networks by continuing to invite them to our locality forums and funding fairs, and to join the VCSE Healthy Communities Alliance — where they can make connections to services and organisations that could provide support going forward. Through reaching out to their Locality Development Officer, our members can always access their three hours of free support and advice, which can point them in the right direction for further support such as training and funding.
From borrowed spaces to a place of their own
As BLAST celebrates its seventh anniversary, its impact can be seen not only in activities delivered, but in the confidence of children who feel safe to be themselves and in parents who no longer feel alone. BLAST’s story is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when lived experience, compassion and community come together — creating spaces where autistic children and families can truly belong.
Looking ahead, Jill’s greatest hope for BLAST is to find a permanent home — a safe, dedicated space where autistic children and young people can truly settle, and where families no longer have to see vital support packed away at the end of each session. At the moment, much of BLAST’s time and energy is spent transporting, setting up and storing specialist sensory equipment in borrowed spaces and garages across the district. Having a home of their own would not only ease that pressure, but would open up new possibilities: regular sessions without disruption, opportunities for older young people to gain confidence through volunteering and work experience, and a consistent place where families know they belong. For Jill, a home for BLAST is about more than bricks and mortar — it is about stability, dignity and creating a lasting base where autistic children can feel safe to be themselves, friendships can continue to grow, and the community BLAST has built over seven years can thrive long into the future.