Infinity Friends, officially opened their Clubhouse in Thomastown Demesne.

Infinity Friends - Clubhouse in Thomastown

Following three years of hard work, the award-winning social club for autistic children, Infinity Friends, officially opened their Clubhouse in Thomastown Demesne.

The guest of honour was AsIAm Cofounder and CEO, Adam Harris. It was a weekend of celebrations for club members, their families, and the local community, with events attended by Claire Kerrane TD, Cllr Alan Harney, and Cllr Valerie Duffy.

Infinity Friends caters to children aged 4 to 18 years old and was founded by Claire Earley and Hilda Duignan with the aim of providing a safe and inclusive environment for children to make friends.

“As parents of autistic children, we both understood how isolating the world can be for our children and the lack of opportunities to build friendships.”

The club currently supports 87 families from the west and midlands.

While they started in rented rooms: “We knew from day one that we would eventually need our own space to be able to support children with sensory and occupational therapy (OT) needs,” Claire added.

Their new clubhouse now includes a specialist art sensory room and an OT space.

Belonging to the club is:
“A source of support, connection, and joy for its members,” Claire noted. “We provide safe, judgment-free spaces where children feel accepted for who they are... peer connection with others who share similar experiences helps combat loneliness and fosters a sense of belonging.”

The group also hosts family events, and they hope to begin workshops for parents, carers, and siblings soon. The project has been hugely successful and was honoured with the “Community Group of the Year” award at the Athlone Business Chamber Awards, just a year after it was founded.

“We were blown away with emotion to receive the award,” said Hilda and Claire. “We felt the heart-warming welcome, acceptance, and recognition in the community.”

There is currently a waiting list for new members, but they hope to open more sessions this year.

How to Get Involved
If you have a young person who would like to join, please complete the membership form at
www.infinityfriends.ie
If you're interested in volunteering for Infinity Friends, you can apply online at
www.i-vol.ie
To donate, visit www.idonate.ie or contact Claire on 085 106 7276.