Scottish poet Jen Hadfield joins forces with Highland group, Inspiring Young Voices, to create book raising awareness of autism
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An award-winning Scottish poet has joined forces with a group of young Highland campaigners to create a story book in a bid to raise awareness of autism.
Jen Hadfield, who lives in Shetland, has linked up with Inspiring Young Voices, an organisation which enables its members with additional support needs or disabilities to take control of their lives.
Over several months, they have collaborated to develop a book based on Angus the Autism Bear – a character initially created by one of its members, Hayley Reid, who is autistic.
The 23-year-old, of Nairn, wanted to challenge negative attitudes towards autism and autistic young people.
The group then decided to take it a step further by creating a picture story book for primary-age children.
Having worked online with group members, Ms Hadfield travelled from Shetland to Inverness to help record an audio version of the book.
The session took place at the Music Shed, a small recording studio, off Academy Street.
It is now being edited and it is also hoped to publish the print version, although no date has yet been set and is dependent on funding been found.
Ms Hadfield has won a string of awards for her work and was the youngest female poet to be awarded the TS Eliot Prize, with her second collection, Nigh-No-Place, in 2008.
Her fourth collection, The Stone Age, was selected as the Poetry Book Society choice for spring 2021.
Emma Thomas, who works for Inspiring Young Voices, said the initial plan was that the poet would work with the group over four sessions.
But ultimately they had worked together for eight months via online meetings.
“She was so taken by the young people and their experiences – and the process was totally new to her,” Ms Thomas said.
The book is aimed at children mainly aged five to seven, their parents and teachers plus others.
It aims to portray autism in a positive way rather than being negative.
“We want to it to be distributed free to schools,” Ms Thomas said.
“We are seeing if we can get some sponsorship or grants.
“We want it to be accessible.”
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