An autistic boy and his mother are appealing for help with developing an app to support his needs.

Young innovator James Malthouse, ten, from Tavistock, is asking for help with raising money through his Crowdfunder campaign which ends this Sunday (May 28) with all fingers crossed he and his mum will reach their target.

James, is set on an idea to build an app to help himself and others with autism to conquer difficult everyday tasks. From getting dressed to planning their daily tasks, the app is designed to provide the structure and engagement James can use to enjoy his day.

So far the Crowdfunder has collectively raised over £1,000. This is to be used to match fund grants totalling £35,000. Every pound raised by this Crowdfunder is being matched by a grant from the Good Growth Fund.

James’ mum, Rachael Malthouse, a physiotherapist, is supporting her son, along with his brother Harry, 11, to help James make his idea a reality.  

She said: 'This project means so much to myself and my two boys, Harry and James. We have built a prototype and tested it with autistic children and their carers with support from the University of Plymouth.

'It received incredibly positive feedback, with one parent saying it could be game-changing for tasks like getting ready for school every morning. Now we need to get the app built so we can help lots of other families who we know would really benefit from this support.'

Belinda Waldock, a co-founder of Software Cornwall, has provided mentoring and support from the seed of the idea. She said: 'It’s such a fabulous idea, I’m so pleased to see so much support for this innovation including the Good Growth Fund.' Rachael can be contacted at [email protected].

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