Family support £1m charity appeal for proposed arts centre at Hermitage's Prior's Court

A FAMILY is backing a £1m charity appeal to build a pioneering arts centre for people with autism.

Nineteen-year-old Jamie Lawrence, who is autistic, went to Prior’s Court, Hermitage, at 10-years-old.

Prior’s Court provides autistic people aged five to 25 with specialised care, education and facilities to help them achieve the independence they need to access the world of work.

While in residential care, Jamie, who is autistic, gained a strong interest for the performing arts. Jamie's family, who live in Guildford, are supporting the charity’s Let Me Shine Performing Arts Centre appeal. The aim is to raise £900,000 to build a bespoke arts centre to provide more young autistic people with a creative outlet to express themselves.

To help raise funds, Jamie, together with other pupils recorded the song Let Me Shine, created in collaboration with Oxford band Low Island, at the acclaimed Abbey Road Studios in London. He has also performed on-stage at music festivals with the Prior’s Court Band.

Let Me Shine can be listened to at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjHb0ivKNPA

The Lawrence family also feature in a new film raising awareness about the appeal, in which they discuss the challenges of having a family member with complex needs and why the centre would be so important to Jamie and other young people.

The appeal video is available to view at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCd20KWWe-g

Jamie’s father Alan Lawrence said: “To think where Jamie has come from, going into care at the age of 10 and the challenges his autism has posed him, to recording at Abbey Road Studios and performing at festivals, it is unbelievable. It makes you so proud. And it is all down to Prior’s Court.

“This has been done without a specialist facility at Prior’s Court, just the dedication, knowledge and passion of so many staff members. Imagine what more Jamie and other young people could achieve with this bespoke arts centre?”

Jamie’s mother Lindsey added: “Music and the arts has the power to make such a difference to young people at Prior’s Court. Why shouldn’t someone like my son be a rockstar or act on TV or on the stage?”

The charity intends to use the centre to provide access to the performing arts to research how this can benefit people with autism and their families.

Chief executive officer Mike Robinson said: “Many of our young people are non-verbal and the arts provides a magnificent outlet for expressing their needs, wants and emotions.

“But individuals with autism face many barriers to accessing the arts, from light and noise sensitivities, to understanding of social rules. The arts should be inclusive but right now, for one reason or another, for people with autism, that is just not the case.

“So one aim of the centre is to mimic the lighting of the theatre environment, for example, to prepare young people to access arts venues in the community successfully. Or in Jamie’s case, that might be helping him to understand he cannot get on stage and perform alongside a cast.”

Please visit: https://www.priorscourt.org.uk/donate/performing-arts-centre or contact: fundraising@priorscourt.org.uk to support the appeal.