Ambassador for Autism

They say every day is a school day, and one of our students continues to teach us so much about advocacy and resilience.

Murray joined Arbour Vale in 2015 and he’s now in his second year of Post 16. Murray uses facilitated communication, and he’s a staunch campaigner to counter the notion that ‘non-verbal means non-intelligent’. Murray strives to change opinions towards non-verbal individuals and in giving first-hand insight into what it is like to be a person living with autism and not able to speak using their voice. Murray does this through his typed life observations and poetry, and he’s even featured on BBC Radio 2.

In November Murray received the 2019 Michael Ludlam Award for Advocacy, Policy and the Media, and we are incredibly proud of this achievement. You can read his story here.

Murray is also an ambassador for the charity Horses Helping People, which provides therapy for individuals with additional needs. He has taken an active role in fundraising for the charity.

Needless to say, Murray is forging an incredible path for himself and for those with similar experiences to him. We look forward to seeing what he continues to do, what changes he implements, and how he changes perceptions of non-verbal communication.