Autism training cafe appeals for customers
BBCA cafe and bakery which trains people with autism and and ADHD could close due to a dramatic drop in footfall, bosses have warned.
The Glowsticks Project in Middlesbrough's Dundas Shopping Centre is providing 30 people with training and employment opportunities, charity founder Rebecca Ibbotson said.
It needs £5,000 a week to operate, but daily takings have recently fallen to £250, she said.
Mia Oostdijch, 25, from Middlesbrough, who has been part of the Glowsticks Project for the last eight months, said it was "like a second family", adding: "I love it here."
The charity began running a cafe in March 2025 and expanded into a bakery in November.
Ibbotson said they were safe spaces on Teesside for people with primary autism or ADHD diagnoses who had been referred by parents, caregivers, organisations or colleges.
Ibbotson said the charity had "absolutely phenomenal success stories" for its workers so far, but she was worried about the future.
"If we go because people aren't using us, then you're going to be seeing 30 people isolated again," she said.
The charity had been hit by large bills including £3,000 a month for electricity, Ibbotson said.
"We can't continue to sustain that if people don't come in and use us," the charity's founder said.
Oostdijch said going to the project was great because not many people understood autism and ADHD.
"You don't have to be afraid to show off your autism here," she said, adding: "You can just be yourself and if you get overwhelmed or anything we have support workers and you can have a break.
"When you come into Glowsticks you can let it all out and just be yourself.
"Speaking to someone and having friends who have the same thing is just brilliant."
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