Thomas & Friends Character to Help Raise Awareness
Raising public awareness of autism just got a little easier, thanks to the efforts of a popular children’s character and video series - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends. Thanks to the generosity of The Britt Allcroft Company, creators of Thomas & Friends TM, the ASA and ASA Foundation will soon begin using the Thomas image on our literature, and plans are being formed for Thomas to participate in future events organized by the ASA.
To kick off the awareness campaign, ASA President Audrey Horne, ASA Foundation /Chair Michael Guarino, and several representatives of the ASA joined Britt Allcroft, founder of The Britt Allcroft Company, and several staff and some 300 guests at a reception held during the toy industry’s annual Toy Fair in New York in February.
Charles Falzon, Commercial Director and Group President of Entertainment for The Britt Allcroft Company, spoke at the reception about the campaign. “Over the past 10 years, we’ve gotten thousands of letters from parents of children with autism telling us how Thomas, through train play and videos, helps them and their children cope with this disorder. He has a wonderfully soothing and calming effect on children with autism,” Mr. Falzon said.
Mr. Falzon said that The Britt Allcroft Company and the ASA are “hoping to raise greater awareness for autism in hopes of getting more research dollars to help us understand, and one day solve, the puzzle that is autism.”
ASA President Audrey Horne thanked the company for lending the Thomas image to the autism cause. “The ASA is dedicated to increasing public awareness about autism and the day-to-day challenges faced by individuals with autism and their families. The goals of the Society include providing information, promoting education, supporting research, and advocation for programs and services to bvenefit the autism community. Thomas the Tank Engine will be a tremendous asset in advancing our cause.”
ASA Executive Director Joan Zaro said that the ASA was pleased about the campaign, but added that it was the members of the ASA who really made it happen. “It was our families and their moving e-mail testimonies…. of the impact that Thomas has on their children that convinced the founder, Britt Allcroft, to undertake this awareness effort.”
From the March-April 2000 issue of the Advocate
