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Looking for real heart on your wedding day? Then look no further than Kustom Made, a Sunderland enterprise helping adults with autism give soon-to-be-married couples a unique touch to their big day.
Like every bride, Nicola Brown wanted her big day to be truly special.
Which was why she decided to ask her students at the Tyne and Wear Autistic Society (TAWAS) Thornbeck College, in Sunderland, to get involved.
Little did she expect the results to be so impressive that it would prompt students to use their skills to start their own business.
Nicola has been a senior tutor at Thornbeck for eight years, and works with adults who have autism.
She said: "The invitations were absolutely fantastic and lots of my guests complemented them.
"Every student contributed in some way, which was very important to me.
"It's an ideal opportunity for our students to gain meaningful work and provide a good service to the local community."
And so Kustom Made was launched.
Now the college business is inviting brides-to-be to call in to the Tyne and Wear Autistic Society shop on Derwent Street, Sunderland, and browse through their extensive wedding portfolio.
As well as wedding invitations, the business also offers table place cards, thank you cards and wedding favour textile bags.
The shop also sells greeting cards, garden ornaments and jewellery: all made by TAWAS Thornbeck college students, like Louise Fishwick.
The 20-year-old attends TAWAS Thornbeck College every weekday and works in the shop on Derwent Street.
Louise has autism, and working in the shop gives her the skills to lead a more independent life.
People with autism can have difficulties in understanding how to behave in different social situations, so work experience is a good way to help with this.
Louise is a dab hand at making cards, and also helps to run the shop, handle the money, greet visitors and takes turns to prepare the staff lunch.
Paul Mangion, 21, works alongside Louise in the shop, and also has autism. He said: "I like making the cards and I like stock-taking too."
Ross Gordon works in the shop as part of his Learning for Living and Work course at Thornbeck.
Last week he helped to organise a table-top sale over the phone, a valuable life step for the 22-year-old.
The design of the wedding invitations is often elaborate and each card can take 20 minutes to half an hour to complete.
Ross, Paul, Louise and the other students who work in the shop are assisted by tutors like Tracy Devlin.
Tracy said: "We want to build an interest in the business. We've been getting work through word of mouth and now we want to expand."
Nicola Brown, who married husband Scott at St Gabriel's Church in Sunderland, said: "We'd love people to think of us when they're planning their big day.
"Our students create truly beautiful, individual invitations to specification. And, of course, by using our business, you will be helping to give people with autism some valuable real life experience of working to time, within a budget and to high standards."
*For more information about Kustom Made services, call 0191 510 8344 or email derwentstreet@tawas.org.uk
Alternatively, call in at the shop on Derwent Street. Open Monday to Thursday from 9.30am to 3.15pm.
* Thornbeck College is holding a summer fair tomorrow from 11am at the Carley Hill site. Admission is 50p and there will be a range of products on sale, all made by learners and service users of the Tyne and Wear Autistic Society.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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