BIG News and BINGO
For July’s Peer Support Groups, we are so excited to introduce topic focussed sessions and ADHD Bingo Seminars!
Hello I’m
Laura Mears-Reynolds, the founder of ADHDAF+ Charity.
I was diagnosed with severe combined type ADHD in 2022 at the age of 38.
…I’m also a Bingo Caller! :)
July is almost here, but first
here’s a few highlights of June,
or as we like to call them: Glimmers…
We’re really pleased that so many people have signed up to our register interest system;
which has served as a helpful reminder for many of June’s Peer Support Group attendees.
If you would like to receive email reminders for our monthly ADHD Support Groups, simply type your email address into the ‘Register Interest’ link of your local group.
If we haven’t started a group in your local area yet, why not
apply to start your own?
Manchester’s ADHDAF+ Peer Support Group, facilitated by Gill
“it was great how open and safe it felt. It was good to hear about people’s experiences”
Edinburgh’s June Support Group, facilitated by Nicole
At such an early stage of hosting in-person ADHD support groups; we are so happy that we’ve managed to connect so many ADHD adults of marginalised genders, in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham and London.
Alongside the online feedback form, our Volunteer Facilitators have been experimenting with measuring impact in different ways at their sessions.
And we’re overjoyed by the response from attendees at all groups!
Change is coming; and not just with our groups…
NHS England’s ADHD Taskforce, launched in March ‘24; combines experts from the NHS, voluntary sector and by lived experience to work alongside the government to gain a better understanding of the challenges affecting people with ADHD, and to make recommendations for change.
This month, the Taskforce released
part one of their report.
Amongst their many findings; the report identified that ‘England and the rest of the UK have a much lower service recognition and treatment rates of ADHD diagnosis compared with other European Countries and a very high level of under-recognition and under-treatment; with significant innequalities in access to care (eg. minority groups).’
Though this is awful news, this isn’t news to us! It is the very reason that this charity exists.
For the NHS and the government to fully acknowledge that (one of) ‘The reason(s) for increased demand for ADHD assessments in England is misdiagnosis, especially among females’, brings us hope. At last.
Within the twelve clear priorities recommended for urgent action, one in particular stands out; the crucial need to include the perspectives and experiences of people with ADHD and their families to effectively design and implement ADHD services and policies; to ensure that services are tailored to the real needs of the community.
NOTHING ABOUT US
WITHOUT US!
And now we know that there are over half a million on the NHS waiting list for ADHD assessment; some of whom may have to wait a decade for life-changing; possibly even life-saving support, it is crucial that we offer help to those who do not have an ADHD diagnosis!
Wherever stage you are at with your ADHD diagnosis or DISCOVERY, you are invited to our support groups.
No medical ADHD Diagnosis needed!
SELF DIAGNOSIS IS VALID.
With ADHD assesment a paid-for privilege or postcode lottery leaving hundreds of thousands of people in danger, it HAS to be.
But what does the term ‘marginalised genders’ mean? Can anyone attend ADHDAF+ Peer Support Groups?
We hope the video explanation above clears up any confusion about who our charity supports. Just know that as long as you are respectful of our aims, and all involved in our groups, you are very welcome to join.
We want to help attendees to connect with like-minded locals for invaluable Peer support.
But in order to connect with others, we need to feel comfortable to be our authentic selves.
Or in other words; to Unmask.
ADHD masking is when a person with ADHD consciously or unconsciously hide or minimise their symptoms to fit in with societal expectations. This behaviour is often a coping mechanism to avoid judgment, stigma, or negative attention associated with ADHD.
Masking is the topic that our Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Manchester Peer Support Groups will be focussing on for July’s sessions.
Alongside introducing the topic of ADHD Masking; Facilitators of these groups will share lived experience to encourage group discussion for those who wish to share theirs.
All group attendees will be given access to resources to further explore the topic.
‘Masking has cost me more than
I can explain’
‘As a queer woman who spent years hiding her identity and masking her struggles, I want people to understand that ADHD is not about being lazy or making excuses — it’s about surviving in a world that often isn’t built for us.
Masking has cost me more than I can explain. It left me exhausted, disconnected, and feeling like I was failing at life.
Discovering I have ADHD at 42 didn’t just change my life; it gave me permission to live it. For the first time, I feel like I can be who I am without shame.
Everyone deserves that chance.’
- ADHDAF+ London Group Co-facilitator, Tracy
These topic led sessions, their takeaways and even the topics themselves are informed by the online podcast community which helped inspire ADHDAF+.
But what has Bingo got to do
with any of this?!
Paired with this online community; it was getting out from behind the post pandemic screens to connect people with ADHD in their local community with ADHD Bingo shows that led to creating this charity.
I wanted to gameify the learning process and demonstrate that there is more than one way to do anything.
I created this Bingo/Seminar concept to raise ADHD awareness in a way that best supported my ADHD. Imposter syndrome and an inability to focus on tasks lacking an element of fun would make delivering a standard lecture on ADHD too challenging for me.
People with ADHD often experience difficulties with sustaining attention due to differences in how our brains process rewards.
By providing immediate and positive reinforcement in the form of reward systems (winning Bingo prizes) can help individuals with ADHD engage
I will be introducing the program of all of the topics that ADHDAF+ Support Groups will be covering with a game of Bingo at the Birmingham and London July sessions.
I will deliver these Bingo Seminars at all ADHDAF+ groups as soon as possible, and I can’t wait to meet you all!
Each Bingo ball represents a topic of which I will give an overview and share a lived experience of. Unlike my ADHD Bingo Shows, these ADHDAF+ Support Group Bingo Seminars will be free to attend and will not contain the musical element, in order to enable attendees to share their lived experiences on the topics.
Please note that BIRMINGHAM has a new venue!
Myself and the team of ADHDAF+ Volunteer Facilitators look forward to meeting you at July’s Peer Support Groups
If you would like reminder emails,
Register Interest in your local group.
If you don’t have one nearby,
you can apply to facilitate one
You can also apply to Voluneer your time, or become an ADHDAF+ Ambassador and you can donate to ADHDAF+ HERE
THANK YOU SO MUCH
for all of your support in helping us
connect and empower ADHD adults
of marginalised genders.
Laura