In order to celebrate Volunteers Week 2026, Prior's Court are taking a moment to thank every group who has volunteered with us in the last 12 months. We couldn't do what we do without you, you help us to keep the site safe and functional, build new structures (and take down old ones) which will provide fun and enrichment for the young people we support, and of course donate your time and hard earned money to allow us to keep improving the lives of autistic young people. 

Our 50-acre site is a huge part of what makes Prior's Court so special, providing a safe space for the young people to explore, run around, and get the sensory input they need to regulate. However, maintaining and developing it is no easy feat, which is where volunteering comes in. 

Over the past 12 months, 267 volunteers have given an incredible 900 hours of time, across 15 corporate groups, including Kärcher, Visa, Tanium, Vodafone, Sophos, Netwrix, Unum, CarneySweeney, AWE, Edwards Lifesciences, Downe House School, Rebound Electronics, Gamma, Newbury College, and BNP Paribas, contributing an estimated £9,000 in gifted labour. That support has had a real and lasting impact across our whole site.

Some of the fantastic projects volunteers have supported over the past year include:

• Maintaining our horticulture spaces, including the CLC and orchard, enabling lessons and opportunities for young people to build valuable life and work skills
• Removing hedging to address an urgent safety issue on site
• Building and installing two new trampolines
• Carrying out deep cleans of our school, gym and sensory rooms
• Crafting and building compost bins
• Tackling weeds and general upkeep across the site
• Wrapping an incredible 134 Christmas presents for our young people

Every task they complete contributes to maintaining an environment where our young people can develop skills and thrive, but the impact goes far beyond just the physical. By welcoming volunteers on site, many of whom know little about autism, we can break down barriers and change misconceptions about what autism and complex needs mean. Those who have autistic friends or family members are able to see and learn more about how to connect with them on a deeper and more meaningful level, and those who have no experience with autism are able to learn what it means, and see what our young people are capable of. 

We also know how valuable volunteering is for the organisations themselves, offering a chance to step away from a desk and come to site to make a tangible difference, allowing teams to bond, and giving something back to the community. Many of our corporate groups also take part in additional fundraising, staff donations, and Gifts in Kind, allowing us to put those funds towards new play equipment, outdoor classrooms, and a brand new performing arts centre which teaches the young people skills they wouldn't necessarily have learned otherwise. 

As one volunteer from Vodafone told us: “I have lived nearby for a long time and didn’t appreciate all the fabulous work that goes on! We had a great day out and were really pleased that we could help make a difference in a few hours.” 

A huge thank you goes out to every individual and team who have donated their time and money to us this year, your efforts have allowed us to build a better, brighter, and more independent future for the autistic young people with complex needs we support.