REACCH Autism South West is based in Saint Ann's Chapel in East Cornwall. REACCH stands for Real Employability for people with Autism and Communication CHallenges. The project provides a specialist social, life and employability skills programme for young people and adults across the autism spectrum who live in East Cornwall, West Devon, and Plymouth. 

There is more on our website at www.reacchsw.co.uk about REACCH Autism South West and what it stands for and a range of programmes offered.

This short introduction is not about us at REACCH and what we do, it is more about how much the REACCH community want to honour the work of our local hospital at Derriford, Plymouth. During the lockdown everyone at REACCH set about sharing ideas about what to do for our local hospital and everyone contributed ideas and started work. As some of our REACCH members have family members working at Derriford Hospital it was even more important for us to show we value the work done there.

We are starting with this Just Giving Page and the release of this song. One of our REACCH members, Matthew,  wrote the wonderful words to the song as he has such a talent for the written word, whilst another of our members, Grace, created a simple and stunning melody and sings it with such raw emotion. When asked about the song Matthew said "I wrote the song in dedication to honour the NHS during this COVID-19 pandemic. It's times like these where we really need to join forces and focus on what's important to us and what to be thankful for... to let people know how thankful I am personally and how thankful the REACCH team are to our frontline workers at this time."  

Grace added: "REACCH wanted to support Derriford Hospital because we wanted to show our appreciation for all that they do for us. I wanted to sing the song and dad wanted to play it because Derriford is our local hospital and have done a lot for our family over the years."

We say at REACCH we are one team, staff, members and families and we are very proud of how well our REACCH team has got through the lockdown together and we cannot thank the NHS in general and Derriford hospital in particular, for all they have done to serve the areas we live in.

We do hope you all enjoy listening to this song and you know that your money is going directly to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth. 

With many thanks 

Mary Pittman 

Project Leader

REACCH Autism South West