THE first National Schools’ Autism Awareness Week (March 14 to 18) was marked at Queen Elizabeth’s School in Crediton, last week with a visit from former pupil and accomplished actor, Luke Treadaway.

Indifference, intolerance and hostility towards people with autism and their families can lead to extreme social isolation, mental illness and profoundly unhappy lives.

Helping young people to understand autism as they grow up, will equip a new generation with the knowledge to accept and empathise with people with autism.

With this in mind, staff and students at QE organised and took part in various events in order to educate and raise awareness about autism.

On Tuesday, March 15, Luke visited the school and took part in an Autism Awareness Assembly.

Luke, who grew up in Sandford, was awarded the prestigious Olivier award for his moving portrayal of Christopher Boone, a 15-years-old boy with autism, in the National Theatre production of the Curious Incident of a Dog in the Night Time.

During the assembly, Luke talked about his experiences of playing a character with autism and about the autistic people he met and who helped him so profoundly in understanding and building the character of Christopher.

He then stayed at the Barnfield campus to visit the school’s provision for students with autism and spent some time chatting to the QE students who benefit from the facility.

On Thursday, March 17, students at the Barnfield campus baked and sold an impressive selection of beautifully decorated and delicious cakes in order to raise funds for The National Autistic Society.

Anyone wishing to make a donation specifically to the charity which supports autism, can do so via the following website: http://www.autism.org.uk/secure%20giving/site-donation-sep-2014.aspx .