A LOCAL support group for parents of children with autism has described its Easter "Eggstravaganza" as its "best event yet."
The Colin Autism Support & Advice group held its first Easter event at Cloona House on Saturday.
Louise Sadlier, who helped found the group, said: "This was the first time we've had an event outside, and it was just such a relaxing environment," she said.
"The support has been great and I've never really asked anybody for anything before, but the local shops and people bent over backwards once they knew it was for our group. Sometimes they were donating out of their own pocket.
"The group itself now has over 500 members and it has just completely taken off. We knew it was going to be big, but we didn't know it was going to be this big. The need is obviously there in the community for it. It has been amazing.
"People are coming from all over to come to our wee group because the services for autism aren't there. Every week there's a new member coming in and beginning the dreaded autism journey, and there's no better help than a parent who has been through it.
"You can see the difference between our Halloween event, our Christmas event and then the big Easter Extravaganza. The only way is up for us, but we wouldn't have got any of this done without Gerard Irvine from Colin Neighbourhood Partnership."
