Wexford’s Cottage Autism Network receives €16,000 from RTÉ Toy Show Appeal

A Wexford autism support organisation has been awarded €16,000 from the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal to support its work with neurodiverse teenagers in the county.

Cottage Autism Network Wexford (C.A.N.) will use the funding to continue its Youth-Led Hubs programme, which provides therapeutic support and nature-based social inclusion opportunities for young people.

The programme is designed alongside the young people who take part, helping to build resilience, confidence and independence while creating inclusive spaces where neurodiverse teenagers can connect and develop skills.

The funding is part of the latest round of grants from the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal, which has awarded €4.7 million to 173 organisations across the island of Ireland this year.

The appeal, run in partnership with Community Foundation Ireland, says the grants will benefit more than one million children and family members through a range of supports and services.

Since it began in 2020, the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal has raised more than €31 million for Irish charities, thanks to the generosity of viewers of the annual Late Late Toy Show.

Cottage Autism Network Wexford says the funding will help strengthen its support for young people and continue the delivery of a programme shaped by the experiences and ideas of the teenagers involved.