New Research, Unshrinking, and Time Blindness
Festival Season is upon us, and some of our Team (pictured above) have just returned from a very hot and sunny Sistaland in stunning Somerset.
We were there signposting to our ELEVEN free in-person ADHD Peer Support Groups in August connecting and empowering ADHD adults of marginalised genders on the topic of ADHD Time Blindness.
There’s many a July ‘glimmer’ to share alongside August’s ADHD groups information, an incredible new study on ADHD women, plus LOTS of exciting news - including us featuring on the news!
Hi I’m Laura, Founder and CEO of ADHDAF+ Charity.
I was diagnosed with severe combined type ADHD aged 38 in January 2022; which not only improved my quality of life; it saved my life… and I’ve been on a mission to help others like me ever since.
My Podcast ADHD As Females (ADHD AF) united a ‘Leopard Print Army’ of listeners, which led to an online community and three UK Tours.
The ADHD AF Podcast Community and Live Events both inspired the creation of - and continue to inform the work of this Charity… about us, by us, for us.
New Research: ADHD Women
What a day 14th July was! ADHDAF+ Charity was asked to contribute to three separate BBC platforms discussing an incredible new study on ADHD Women’s Hormones…
I was delighted to join BBC journalist and broadcaster Nuala McGovern and Dr Jessica Agnew-Blais to discuss Jessica’s study at Kings College and Queen Mary University, London on BBC Radio 4 for Woman’s Hour.
The first of its kind study will measure the impact hormones have on women with ADHD.
The study tracks the menstrual cycle and ADHD symptoms of 50 diagnosed and medicated ADHD women to test the link.
In the BBC Woman’s Hour feature I shared my lived experience of ADHD, hormones and perimenopause - you can listen HERE
Meanwhile in SW Scotland, our Ayr ADHD Support Group Facilitator: Beth Errington was talking on this topic at the exact same time on BBC Radio Scotland.
Big ADHD Fundraiser Beth did a fantastic job contributing to this crucial conversation -
thank you so much Beth!
You can hear her on BBC Radio Scotland with Connie McLaughlin HERE
Straight after these two separate BBC Radio shows I was at BBC Broadcasting House in London, being interviewed live by journalist Lucy Hockings on BBC News Now - clip below…
Live TV was an exciting and surreal experience - admittedly the couple of minutes felt like a couple of seconds (but that’s Time Blindness for you!) I was delighted to be invited to discuss the first scientific study of its kind.
It’s an honour and a privilege to be a voice for the many women I have worked with over the last four years; almost all of whom noted that their ADHD symptoms intensified, both with their menstrual cycle and at times of hormonal changes - including puberty, pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause and menopause.
Most - like myself - have been dismissed, misdiagnosed and mistreated medically due to the lack of research on ADHD in women.
Though unaware at the time of launching the podcast in 2022 - my rock bottom - which led to getting an ADHD diagnosis was due to the oestrogen decline of perimenopause.
Alongside sharing my own experiences, I have focussed on how our hormones impact ADHD symptoms on ADHD AF podcast many times.
Most notably with Dr Nighat Arif in Aug ‘23, and again in Jan ‘24 and the recent episode with ADHDAF+ Trustee Dr Helen Wall, who has written an incredible book on the topic.
You can watch the video podcast of Dr Helen Wall and I discussing ADHD, Hormones, Perimenopause and Menopause HERE or you can listen on ADHD AF wherever you get your podcasts.
Though this hormonal impact is widely known and experienced in the ADHD Community; Dr Jessica Agnew-Blais’ incredible study is an enormous moment for ADHD women. Its findings will be scientific proof of this relationship, and will hopefully lead to more much needed ADHD research for women and people of marginalised genders.
Unshrinking
Who told you to shrink?!
That was the title of the panel I was invited to host at Sistaland Festival.
Serendipitously; all of us on the panel had previously shrunk ourselves through people pleasing; due to societal pressures and being told we were too much and not enough.
We’ve each reclaimed our power through curiosity, playfulness and self acceptance.
I was also there co-hosting The Self Love Sanctuary with Lou Featherstone - aka - Lu in Lu Land with a crew of Lou’s incredible Self Love Revolutionaries. Each one an expert in their field combining their expertise in festival fields… and serendipity dealt yet another hand!
I am delighted to announce that Marva Williams and Lou Featherstone are sponsoring our Swindon ADHD Peer Support Group!
Our first group sponsor; their incredible wellness product range is called… UNSHRUNK!
Marva is a Certified Menopause Coach and Corporate trainer and an award-winning skincare formulator specialising in the holistic relationship of healing through natural formulations.
'Through my work in menopause care I've learned how the trajectory of and prevalence of common conditions such as fibromyalgia, ADHD and pelvic issues as well as differences in the way different communities approach and speak about intimate womens issues and menopause inform one's menopausal development and wellbeing.’ - Marva Williams
For the last four years I have been offered money to endorse products and services daily on all platforms in exchange for promotion on ADHD AF podcast. To this day, I have never accepted because I will not endorse a product that I don’t believe in.
So although our charity needs funds in order to run and start more free monthly ADHD Peer Peer Support Groups, we will only accept group sponsorships from businesses we believe in.
Our Swindon ADHD Group is local to Marva, and all of us at ADHDAF+ are so grateful to have Unshrunk as sponsor for that group!
THANK YOU SO MUCH MARVA & LOU!
You can read Marva’s inspirational story of how she came to create these incredible products HERE
…and as a lifelong insomniac, I can personally vouch for the sleep spray - which has me in slumbertown minutes after using! zzzzzzzzz
If you or your business would like to sponsor one of our ADHD Support Groups or you would like to suggest group sponsorship to your place of work - you would be doing a massive service to your local ADHD community, and we really appreciate any support you can give. Check out our corporate sponsorship packages HERE.
July’s Group Glimmers
“ADHDAF+ Charity has connected 105 ADHD adults at our free Peer Support Groups in 11 different locations in Scotland and England this month!”
Kicking things off for July was our Cambridge ADHD Support Group
Fantastic Donnie, thank you!
Come along to Donnie’s next Cambridge ADHD Group: 7-9pm,
Wednesday 5th August at Unity Centre, (Blossom Room)
Pathfinder Way, CB24 1FD
Sign up for ADHDAF+ ADHD Cambridge Support Group reminder emails HERE
Next up was our Chester ADHD Group.
Thank you for another great goup Tina!
Join Tina at her next Chester ADHD Support Group at 6:30-8:30pm on Thursday 6th August at Rainbow Tearooms, 28 Bridge St, CH1 1NQ
Sign up for ADHDAF+ ADHD Chester Support Group reminder emails HERE
Thank you to Kate for another amazing Bristol ADHD Group!
Join Kate at her next Bristol ADHD Support Group on Thursday 6th August 7-9pm at The Loft (3rd Floor) Tobacco Factory, BS3 1TF
Sign up for ADHDAF+ ADHD Bristol Support Group reminder emails HERE
Enormous thanks to Yas, who stepped in to cover for Birmingham ADHD Group Facilitator Lizee - we hope Lizee had a fabulous holiday!
Come along to our next Birmingham ADHD Support Group: 7-9pm
on Tuesday 4th August at Stryx JQ, 90 Vyse St, B18 6JZ.
Sign up for ADHDAF+ ADHD Birmingham Support Group reminder emails HERE
Thank you Jen for a wonderful Swindon ADHD Peer Support Group!
Join Jen’s next Swindon ADHD Group: 7-9pm on Tuesday 4th August at Little Grazey, 114 Victoria Rd, SN1 3BH
Sign up for ADHDAF+ ADHD Swindon Support Group reminder emails HERE
Thank you Eve for a brilliant Hemel Hempstead ADHD Support Group!
Join Eve at her next session: Thursday 6th August, 7-9pm at St Johns Hall, Station Road, HP1 1JY
Sign up for ADHDAF+ ADHD Hemel Hempstead Support Group reminder emails HERE.
Thank you Gemma’s for an amazing Runcorn ADHD Group!
Join Gemma 6:30-8:30pm on Wednesday 5th August at Murdishaw Community Centre, Barnfield Ave, Murdishaw,
WA7 6JW
Sign up for ADHDAF+ ADHD Runcorn Support Group reminder emails HERE
Thank you Gill for another awesome Manchester session following the BBC North West Tonight feature of her Manchester ADHD Group!
You can join Gill on Wednesday 12th August 7-9m at Friends’ Meeting House, 6 Mount St, M2 5NS
Sign up for ADHDAF+ ADHD Manchester Support Group reminder emails HERE.
Thank you Paula a brillliant Blackpool ADHD Group!
Come along to Paula’s next session on Thursday 13th August 7-9m at Aunty Social, 28 Topping St, FY1 3AQ
Sign up for ADHDAF+ ADHD Blackpool Support Group reminder emails HERE
Our Edinburgh and Oxford ADHD Groups are temporarily paused.
We look forward to them returning ASAP.
You can sign up for email reminders to be the first to hear when they’re back….
Get email reminders for either or any of our groups HERE
August ADHD Support Groups
on Time Blindness
You can find out full details and sign up for email reminders HERE
The focus topic for all 11 August ADHD Support Groups is ADHD & Time Blindness - a common but often misunderstood challenge faced by many people with ADHD. Time blindness refers to the difficulty in sensing the passage of time, estimating how long tasks will take, or staying aware of appointments, tasks with deadlines.
This can lead to chronic lateness, procrastination, or feeling overwhelmed.
Some of us are also chronically early as a coping mechanism, and many of us lose hours in the bathroom! :) In all seriousness, if you struggle with time and dates, it is not your fault and you are not alone.
You can listen to the episode: ‘ADHD Time Blindness: What is Time?!’ on ADHD AF on Spotify HERE or wherever you usually get your Podcasts - recorded in September 2025, way back when we’d only been facilitating ADHD Groups six months, and I hadn’t switched over to video podcasting yet.
How times have changed!
We hope you’ll carry on the conversation at your local ADHDAF+ ADHD Peer Support Group!
“But what is the format of ADHDAF+ Groups? Who can attend?
How do we choose locations?
AND... What’s with all the leopard print?!
Your questions, answered on our FAQ page”
You can find out all of the above and more HERE
Tiny Team,
HUGE Impact
In the previous two blogs I shared the exciting news about our two new Trustees: Abigail Agyei Jones MBE and Dr Helen Wall, but alongside our Board and Volunteer Facilitators we have a VERY small team doing BIG work behind the scenes…
Ruth Lester
Tech Support
The digital mechanic, system custodian, and workflow optimiser of ADHDAF+’s mission.
"Geeky Roo" Ruth’s vital role keeps our backend engine finely tuned, streamlining administrative processes and building the secure, efficient infrastructure that enables us to scale safely.
She oversees access management, integrates workspace systems, and maintains vital impact-capturing feedback loops.
Collaborating with our Group Coordinator, Ruth co-pilots monthly facilitator meetings and automates group reminders
…all whilst safeguarding data integrity, bridging our professional advocacy, and facilitating our London ADHD Support Group.
Kate Smith
Group Coordinator
The facilitator stabiliser, peer champion, and frontline guardian of our movement. Kate’s crucial role keeps our national network firing on all cylinders, acting as the power steering for those leading our ADHD Support Groups.
She onboards new volunteers, co-pilots monthly meetings with Tech Support, and acts as a vital shock absorber for frontline feedback and safeguarding.
From handling logistics to celebrating milestones, Kate tunes up and protects our fantastic facilitation team; ensuring every local leader is fully equipped, and our human infrastructure is supported for the road ahead …all whilst facilitating our Bristol ADHD support group.
And then finally, there’s me! :) I wear a lot of different hats back here, one of which is managing this tiny and triumphant team… you can find out my full role and all about our Board Of Trustees on our new Team Page. We also have another new and exciting page….
ROAR!
ROAR is a page dedicated to our fiercely fun Fundraising
Our ADHD adult support groups are FREE and low cost to run; but they’re needed nationwide!
We would LOVE you to help us start more by joining a fundraiser…
We currently have two upcoming fundraisers which we would be so grateful if you could join in/donate/share….
In it’s fourth year, The Big ADHD Fundraiser is raising funds for ADHDAF+ and ADHDadultUK Charities and inviting everyone along for the ride…
Rather than the one-off cycling event of previous years, you’re invited to start your own fundraiser as part of our team… throughout the month of October, ADHD Awareness Month.
We’ve got Cyclists, Skydivers, Swimmers, Artists and more taking part already! All of us at both charities would be so grateful if you could DONATE, SHARE and even JOIN IN this years VERY Big ADHD Fundraiser.
Full Details HERE
You can listen to a very special episode of ADHD AF Podcast about it on all podcast platforms, or watch the video on Spotify HERE
So what’s your passion?
Knitting, Rollerskating, Reading, Running…. why not join our team to turn what your love into a fundraiser to support our two charities offering much needed support to our community this ADHD Awareness Month!
Our second fabulous fundraiser is…
ADHDAF Day ‘26
Friday 23rd Oct ‘26 is the FIFTH annual #ADHDAFDay
Dust off your fiercest threads, because the
Leopard Print Army is officially assembling on socials for the 5th year running in ADHD Awareness Month!
This global social media movement continues to turn timelines completely wild to showcase and unite the ADHD Community.
Taking part is simple: Wear at least one leopard print item on Friday 23rd Oct, snap a photo or video of you wearing it (or if you’re camera shy - just some leopard print) and share it on Instagram with the hashtag: #ADHDAFDay (tagging @adhdafpodcast and @adhdafplus), and please donate to our ADHDAF fundraiser page (launching soon)
Last year's event raised over £900, which went straight into funding ADHDAF+ charity's free, in-person ADHD peer support groups - crucial spaces that connect and empower ADHD adults of marginalised genders.
This year, we want to smash that target, and paint every corner of the internet with ADHD AF’s symbolic print… and we need you to get everyone on board!
Please get your loved ones and friends on board, or even enlist your whole workplace. Last year, we had an entire school alumni show up to work head-to-toe in leopard print, and we would love to see even more group takeovers this time around.
Whether you are wearing a pair of leopard print socks, a hair band, or going full-body feline, every post and every pound helps turn up the volume on ADHD awareness, connect community and signpost/fund crucial ADHD support.
But why do we wear leopard print? Find out on our FAQs Page
We are the Leopard Print Army
…HEAR US ROAR!
…and let’s roar
even louder for
Disability Pride
July is Disability Pride Month, and we want to highlight the gold stripe on the Disability Pride Flag, which specifically honours neurodivergent individuals. For many in the neurodivergent community, this month is a powerful reminder that our differences are not deficits to be cured, but a natural part of human diversity to be recognised accommodated and celebrated.
The Disability Pride Flag
The modern Disability Pride Flag was designed by writer Ann Magill to represent the diverse facets of the community.
Diagonal Band: Represents cutting across the physical and societal barriers that restrict the community.
Red Stripe: Represents physical disabilities.
Gold/Yellow Stripe: Represents neurodivergence and cognitive conditions
White Stripe: Represents invisible, non-visible, and undiagnosed conditions.
Blue Stripe: Represents psychiatric and emotional disabilities, including mental health conditions.
Green Stripe: Represents sensory disabilities, including blindness and deafness.
Charcoal Background: Honours and mourns disabled individuals who have suffered from ableist violence, medical neglect, or eugenics.
Disability Pride Month is a time to challenge societal barriers. It is often inaccessible workplaces, school systems, and social structures- rather than our neurodivergence - that create the greatest challenges. Real pride means fighting for a world built to include us all.
It is also a vital opportunity to celebrate the immense contributions of the disabled and neurodivergent communities, while continuing our work to dismantle ableism and build spaces where everyone can thrive exactly as they are.
We hope that you will come as your are to one of our 11 ADHD Peer Support Groups in August. Our groups are totally free, SELF DIAGNOSIS IS VALID! You do not need to RSVP, be on time or stay for the entirety, and you are free to move around, fidget and take breaks. So long as you are over 18 you are very welcome to come along to connect with other ADHD adults of marginalised genders.
If we haven’t started a group in your local area yet, you can apply to Volunteer to start your own HERE
If you have already applied to be an ADHDAF+ Ambassador, you should have heard from our tiny team this week… if not, you will in the coming days; and we’re so excited to onboard and announce our Ambassadors VERY SOON!
Finally, our first Live Event as a charity: ADHD Easy Target is SOLD OUT!
Apologies if you missed out on a grabbing one of the free tickets to the pilot of this unique ADHD event series funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, in collaboration with The National Trust. We have started a waiting list for the first one on Sunday 6th Sep in Wakefield, which you can join HERE
There will be several more in different locations in 2027, you can be the first to hear the details and grab tickets by signing up HERE
I cannot wait to meet those of you coming along to the pilot event very soon!
Just one last reminder… we would be so grateful if you would join in and/or donate to, and encourage others to get involved in
The Big ADHD Fundraiser and ADHDAF Day.
Or if you are able, please DONATE directly to help us start more free ADHD Groups HERE.
The average cost per attendee is just £3,
so no donation is too small… or you could
Sponsor your local ADHD Group HERE.
Please know that if you are struggling
YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
Please reach out for help via our
list of resources HERE.
Thanks so much for reading
and for all of your support!
Laura x
