Red in the Spectrum wins new business prize

Red in the Spectrum has won the runner-up award for new businesses in the Lewes district in East Sussex, where we are currently based.

At the awards event in Seaford on Thursday 28 September 2023, the Eastbourne and District Enterpise Agency (eDEAL) dubbed Red in the Spectrum ‘highly commended’, and gave us £500 in prize money to continue our good work.

The event was attended by all six finalists, together with their mentors, other entrants, and judges. Janine Booth and Liz Yeates attended on behalf of Red in the Spectrum, and were pleased to spend time with our mentor Hilary Anderson, as well as meeting others and swapping ideas.

The eDEAL programme sees new businesses in the area receive mentoring and advice, which we have found very useful in getting Red in the Spectrum up and running. It was through this programme that we developed our business plan, and received training on issues including the law, finance, marketing and more. As people who are naturally activists rather than administrators, this was definitely helpful!

The judges praised Red in the Spectrum’s efforts in training trade unions, non-profits, companies, public authroities and others to understand neurodiversity and make their practice neuro-inclusive. They commented on the obvious passion and commitment that we show towards the battle for equality and against discirmination.

After submitting business plans, the six finalists then gave a presentation to the judges in the style of the television programme Dragon’s Den.

The awards event ended with Red in the Spectrum’s Janine Booth reading her poem ‘We Had to Let them Go‘, a hard-hitting piece that helps to explain why only around 16% of autistic adults are in full-time employment.

Our congratulations go to the winner, Hannah Dawson and Sussex Lavendar. It was good to see the two awards go to biodiversity and neurodiversity!

You can read the District Council’s report here.