Autism NI chosen by Progressive as 2025 AGM Charity Partner

Progressive Building Society has chosen Autism NI as its charity partner for this year’s Annual General Meeting on April 29, 2025.

Progressive will donate £2.50 and 20p respectively for each online vote and paper vote cast by its eligible Members for the Society’s 110^th AGM, up to £10,000.

Autism NI is Northern Ireland’s longest-serving autism charity and has provided life-changing services for autistic people and their families for over 30 years. The charity delivers specialist support services for the 35,000 autistic people living in Northern Ireland.

Currently 1 in 20 children in Northern Ireland have an autism diagnosis, with some families waiting over four years for an autism diagnosis. Similarly, adult waiting times for an autism diagnosis are extremely long with some exceeding five years in Northern Ireland.

Progressive Secretary Kyle McRoberts said they were delighted to partner with Autism NI for this year’s AGM and help support a vital local service.

“This is an opportunity for us to help bolster what the charity does for families and communities in Northern Ireland at a time of great need.

“At Progressive, we strive to stay involved with what is happening at community level and we appreciate the tireless work that is done by Autism NI.”

Autism is lifelong and affects the social and communication centre of the brain. It is a spectrum condition, and every autistic person is different.

Autism NI offers pre-diagnosis support and then continues to provide life-changing services for autistic people and their families throughout their life journey.

A spokesperson for Autism NI said the partnership with Progressive will help the charity to continue raising vital funds and awareness.

“Autistic people can face barriers to accessing services such as health and education,” said the spokesperson.

“Currently, only 21.7% autistic people are in full time employment due to significant barriers to accessing employment, yet autistic people can be highly skilled and valued members of a team.

Additionally, figures show that 80% of autistic adults and children will have significant mental health difficulties throughout their lifetime.

We want to continue providing support and services that are vital for the wellbeing of autistic people, from pre-diagnosis right through adult life.

With help and support, we can continue to support autistic people, their families, and campaign for autism acceptance within society. By working together, we can achieve so much more and create a better, fairer, and more inclusive society for autistic people to thrive.”

Autism NI requires funds for three essential services including the Autism NI Helpline, the Early Intervention Service and training courses for families.

The Autism NI Helpline, seen as a lifeline by many, receives over 7,500 calls annually and is staffed by a team that delivers essential support, advice, information and practical resources.

Autism NI’s Early Intervention Service transforms the lives of families by delivering home support and bespoke practical resources, immediately after an autism diagnosis.

Meanwhile, the charity’s free training and support courses for families are designed for parents and carers and they cover a variety of pertinent topics to enable them to support their autistic child.

Autism NI’s vision is to build an inclusive society where autistic people can achieve their full potential, and the Charity strives to inspire local people, communities, businesses, and government to support this vision.

Pictured: Kyle McRoberts, Society Secretary & Financial Accountant at Progressive Building Society and Sorcha Mathews, Corporate Fundraising Manager at Autism NI.