With heartfelt thanks to the WANTZ Committee for their wonderful support to help children with autism live their best lives.

The current AEIOU Townsville centre (opened in 2008) provides opportunities for 18 children. The centre is at capacity and demand for autism early intervention is rising. The centre is tired, dated and maligned with serious issues that contribute to negative perception with AEIOU staff, families, and the community. The AEIOU Foundation has purchased land in Idalia, Townsville and in partnership with Buchan Group Architects and Hutchinson Builders, has designed and will build a new autism facility for the Townsville community recognising funding from supporters, as well as the federal and state governments.

The new AEIOU Townsville centre will be a state-of-the-art 30 placement centre with three early intervention classrooms, a motor skills therapy room, consulting/telehealth rooms, a community meeting/training facility, dedicated research rooms, external learning environments and playgrounds. The existing centre in Kirwan, will be decommissioned.

But we need your help.

Your generosity tonight, no matter how large or small, will help fund the development and outfit of the Play to Learn Area at the new Townsville Centre. Play is a vital component of children’s development and has been recognised as a human right for every child by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Play has an integral role in the development of social, cognitive, symbolic and linguistic skills – all vital to the skills development under the evidence based AEIOU curriculum.