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Go North East continues important work to recognise hidden disabilities and raise awareness of autism

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Go North East continues important work to recognise hidden disabilities and raise awareness of autism

It’s World Autism Awareness Week (29 March – 4 April), which is marked in the UK by the National Autistic Society, with tomorrow (2 April) being World Autism Awareness Day.

Go North East is continuing work with the Sunflower lanyard scheme to recognise hidden disabilities such as autism, which is a lifelong developmental disability which affects how people communicate and interact with the world around them.

In the UK alone there are around 700,000 adults and children on the autism spectrum.

As well as the Sunflower lanyard scheme, Go North East is also raising awareness of autism across its workforce.

A number of people with autism find a particular interest in transport and Go North East help support such interests by publishing regular fleet and service news on the enthusiast section of its website.

The company also engage with local special interest groups such as the Northern Group Enthusiasts Club and the North East Bus Preservation Society who plan and organise various bus rally events across the region.

Martijn Gilbert, managing director at Go North East, said: “Through our One Team GNE colleague and community engagement initiative our team are doing more work than ever to recognise and embrace inclusivity and diversity matters.

“This includes raising better awareness of some of the challenges our customer may face and how we can all work together better.

“Our work with the Sunflower lanyard scheme is a great example of our efforts to recognise hidden disabilities such as autism, but for World Autism Awareness Week we’re also starting a conversation about autism to further educate and inform people about it.” 

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On the Go since 1913

Around 175,000 journeys are made on Go North East bus services every day to travel around this wonderful region. Travelling to work or education, to visit friends and family, to have a night out, or to visit one of the region's many tourist and leisure attractions.

For over 100 years, Go North East has connected the region's towns and villages with the cities of Newcastle, Durham and Sunderland and currently operates across Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham and into Tees Valley.

Employing over 2,000 local people, with a fleet of almost 700 buses and coaches and an annual turnover of £100m, the company is the regional subsidiary of the Go-Ahead Group plc, one of the UK's leading providers of passenger transport.

Go North East

117 Queen Street
NE8 2UA Gateshead