When a charity walk to raise awareness about autism drew hundreds of people to Mill Park last year, organiser Natasha Brearley-Ngarua decided the event should be held yearly.
She’s now in the final stages of planning the next walk on April 3.
“We were so surprised by last year’s turnout,” Ms Brearley-Ngarua recalls. “We thought we’d get 50 [entrants], but we had hundreds of people.”
The South Morang mother of four has three children with autism and has been a strong advocate for funding to provide greater support in schools for children with special needs.
Almost two years ago she started a petition that called on all levels of government to fund integration aides and teacher training in government schools.
It was signed by more than 2000 people and led her to start Plenty Valley Club House, a not-for-profit support group for Whittlesea families with children on the autism spectrum.
Ms Brearley-Ngarua said the aim of the walk was to raise awareness of autism, and to show parents what support services are available to them and their children.
The one-kilometre walk will begin at the Mill Park Leisure Centre, 33 Morang Drive, Mill Park, at 10am on Sunday, April 3
