Creaseys, a department store serving the island of Guernsey for more than 100 years, recently teamed up with local support group Autism & Me to host a special event for children. Fifty parents and their children were invited to ride the escalators and lifts at the closed store as many times as they liked for an hour and a half on a Thursday evening. Autism & Me Co-founder Lorna Higgins-Bare said that a discussion between caregivers about the unique activities that children with autism enjoy sparked the idea. “A recurring theme was the pure enjoyment that some children with autism get from repetitive use of lifts and escalators,” said Higgins-Bare. “However, we all understood that that wasn’t always practice or even safe in a typical shopping environment.
The group began to explore the possibility of creating an opportunity for the children to enjoy escalators and lifts that prioritized safety. While Creasey management was initially confused by the request, once they heard more, the team set to work to plan the event with Autism & Me. Creaseys gave the support group access to the lift and escalators in an understanding environment, and staff volunteered their time to assist. The department store provided complimentary tea, coffee and snacks in the café, as well as goody bags for the children. “It’s inspiring how Creaseys has raised the bar in offering their facilities to support us with this somewhat unusual request.”
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