Login
Login

Team Lucas

Donate to Gareth and help them hit their goal of £200!

My Walk for Autism Challenge

Please Help Me
Reach My Goal

Raised

£213 + £21.10 GiftAid

My Goal

£200

Select amount to donate

£12
Helps address the sensory needs of autistic children.
£16
Help autistic adults develop their skills
£22
Help autistic young people make friends and overcome loneliness
£27
Help us provide families with the support that they need

Or enter an amount

£
Donate

All donations in GBP

All payments are secure & encrypted

Total 104,820 steps

My goal 80000 steps

Day 8 - 2st April 2025 - The Finish Line

Happy International Autism Day! Another Walk for Autism draws to close with 104,820 Steps completed. The walk may be finished, but the battle goes on to increase Awareness as one the pictures I took says Open Your Eyes and read The Writing On The Wall.

This year has had some real highs and lows, some of which are reflected in the pictures. I am proud of Lucas day by day. he is growing into his own legacy that he will pass on to someone else someday and help keep the Awareness alive.

Two points finish on don't let the a day pass you by without living it to your best no Waste Years as Iron Maiden sing about another band both Lucas and myself more so love influenced by my Big Bro Pete miss you.

Iron Maiden - Wasted Years:

So understand
Don't waste your time always searching for those wasted years
Face up, make your stand
Realize you're living in the golden years.

My second point, as the title says, is this is my Finish Line. I hang up my walking shoes as I am done Walking for Autism. It has been a blast, but it is for new ways to raise Autism Awareness.   

Keep on Walking for Autism and Rocking In The Free World!!!

Peace & Love, G.                  

Day 7 - 1st April 2025 - Walk for Autism - 'Time'

The penultimate day of the Walk for Autism 2025 put in some good steps today. So, I was reflecting on life as I was walking today. This has been my first walk since turning 50 last year. The song that got stuck in my head today was Pink Floyd's - Time. " They are Such a cool band, and their song is very philosophical. 

We should never take the time we have for granted; it passes so fast when comparing the pictures of Lucas 3 years ago to now. It's like, where did the time go?

These lyrics from the song sum up life very well:

"Tired of lying in the sunshine, staying home to watch the rain
And you are young and life is long, and there is time to kill today
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run; you missed the starting gun.

And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking.
Racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same, in a relative way, but you're older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death."   

That is how I reflect I am getting older so my kids. I have to make every moment count; show them love, make memories, and leave a lasting legacy for them.

Have a blessed day, and be your best self today. :-) 

Day 6 - 31st March 2025 - Walk for Autism - Times Like These

Day 6 of Walk for Autism and the steps are clocking up steady. Today, I reflected on the fact that it's "Times Like These" as Foo Fighters famously sang about learning to live and love again. 

It's funny how some of the greatest wisdom I have experienced in recent times has been wise words from my 13-year-old son.

I had a bad day, and my son, in the calmest manner possible, said Dad, take a few deep breaths and maybe get my favourite drink and just chill out for a time, Funny enough, I listened to Foo Fighters.

It is interesting that he suggested this around 13th March, as it was the fourth anniversary of the passing of his Uncle Peter, my older brother. He suggested similar things, and we ended up sharing a special father-and-son night watching The Mandalorian.

Lucas, in his own wee innocent way, gets the Live and Live Again bit and so much more.




Day 5 - 30th March 2025 - Walk For Autism - Mothers Day

So, Day 5 of the Walk for Autism today was a little more relaxed due to the special day. Lucas treated his mum to a Tim Hortons hot chocolate via me and other lovely gifts.

When Lucas was diagnosed with Autism, so many things were said in regard to how he would never show empathy and affection and that he would be emotionally shut down. 

Well, over the years, from Primary School around P5 mainstream school, my son was one of the most caring and sharing in his year; he acted as a mentor to others. 

When my mum Lucas's Granny Soft Ears Iris passed, I truly saw a very deeply caring sharing soul. Side Note: He had a thing for feeling everyone's ears when he was younger, but Granny Iris's were the best.

So never judge anyone on the spectrum; they can surprise you big time, and textbook answers are just that.

We completed the walk later in the evening; photos will follow.

Day 4 - 29th March 2025 - Walk For Autism - We Half Way there

So, Day 4, as Bon Jovi famously sang, "We Half Way There!" and over the last few days, I feel I have been Living on a Prayer, so today, 10231 Steps weather was so bad today also on personal note I had been under the weather hence the delay on the daily Blogs over the last two days. 

I managed to complete the walks, but all I could do was formulate what I wanted to say and then upload them all today, 30/03/2025, Mother's Day, thankfully on the mend.

So the Day 4 walk was a game of two halves, fitting in whatever steps I could between the bad weather, but it also led to an amazing moment on a night walk with Lucas and a photo next to a tree I love as every year without fail the blossoms flower even given the brokenness of the tree itself.

Again, another testament to keep on the faith. When walking the path of life, good signposts help us dig deep to finish the race or walk in this instance.

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mothers out there, especially the single moms having to be both Parents to their kids.

Day 3 - 28th March 2025 - Walk For Autism - 'Who Are You?'

So, on Day 3 of the Walk for Autism 20210, despite the weather earlier in the day, I managed to smash the steps count with a lot of walking in and around inner East Belfast close the College and Campus and also down toward passed the house I grew up in and Templemore Ave Baths/Swimpool more details and pictures to feature in this blog. 

So, I started today's blog with the question, " Who are you ?" The Who is a fantastic rock band, by the way. They famously ask this question. We have acrue labels and words spoken over us from the day and hour we born till we laid to rest friends and family talk at you funeral. 

So don't be shocked to learn that people on the Neurodiverse spectrum are labelled and placed in tick box cultures pretty much from pre-diagnosis down through their statement where they sit on the spectrum. 

As parents, we are then forced to fight for our children and their right to educational help. In fact, the list is endless, and I couldn't fit it all into this blog.

So, back to the bare bones words can bring both life or death in a single instance. A positive word will help your child's mind and heart soar like an eagle, yet negative words or careless words start to form a negative self-image and millstone of bad labels around their neck. They will withdraw from the world, and you can draw your own conclusion to the results; But remember, nothing good ever comes easy. 

The purest treasures of this life take time to grow. Only recently, Lucas commented to his mum a statement that reduced her to tears: I final living he expressed, he started going to the youth Gym and heading out to socialise with old friends from Primary school in Belfast City Centre and going on adventures of youthful fun.

My wife loves reminding me that I spoke the positive words over Lucas. 2025 is going to be his year, and so far, wow, the changes and growth as a person Lucas has experienced are amazing.

So remember Keep The Faith!! Quoting Bon Jovi paved the way for how I want conclude today's blog. Tell your child that nothing is impossible; help them break the limits placed on them by society.


Day 2 - 27th March 2025 - Walk For Autism

So, Day 2 of the Walk For Autism, today was just over the 10,000 steps as the weather turned awful, but I managed to meet my fundamental goal. I was disappointed it was not more, but I am all good. So, a point of encouragement for today: listen to your heroes. A few messages have moved me over the last few days and pulled at my heartstrings. As they say, I will spare people's blushes and not name any names well, okay, maybe one Nat Thompson she featured in the photo used in the 2023 Walk. Helping me sort my comeback walk as I was on the mend from Long COVID. I bumped into her the other day before the Walk kicked off this year. I know how her students must feel from her input and encouragement as a member of the Sports Lecturing staff. Keep smiling, Nat!!! Insider joke: I have a Resting Johnston Face; I don't smile much.

So, to begin with today, I explained I was a little disappointed I was just over the necessary figure of 10,000 steps. Well, here is a pearl of wisdom from a good friend and mentor, Dr John Andrews, a good man Belfast born and bred originally. He is an incredible speaker and author. In his book Beyond Broken, he challenges you to think about the difference between being disappointed and disappointment. You're going to say, " What's the difference?" he frames it so eloquently that it's okay to be disappointed from time to time; it's part of life and personal growth emotionally, but to let a situation lead to disappointment makes you a prisoner to that issue or situation it becomes a downward spiral a dark place. So, certainly acknowledge the fact that you were disappointed in something, but dust yourself off, pick yourself up, and move on. Fall down Seven Times, get up Eight Times.....

Day 1 - 26th March 2025 - Walk For Autism

So, day one is done and dusted. I managed 15605 Steps on my first day; not bad going. Been on the move from the crack of dawn, working all day and then at my night course in the Titanic Quarter Campus on Linux Essentials alternative Operating system to the standard Windows offering most people like to use. This leads me to my point for today: I believe Autism is like an alternative Operating System. Like me, training and taking this course is all about better understanding and awareness. This is key when supporting anyone on the Autism Spectrum; we need to educate ourselves to have a better understanding to help provide opportunities for all on the spectrum.

Strong Roots

Dear Lucas,

The one quality I see shining through in you more and more daily is Love, a gentle giant. Unless you mess with one of his friends or family members, he is quick to stand up for them and call out bullying or injustice. This comes from good, strong family roots. His Granny/Grandad Johnston and Uncle Peter Johnston are sadly not with us anymore, but I know the imprint of their moral compass and loving nature lives on in his DNA. I hope to encourage the very best in him and see him explode past any limits set on him. 

I am here for you always, with Mum cheering you on.

Love Dad.

Personal Reasons - Statement

So it is that time of year for me once again when I strap on my walk shoes and coloured t-shirt for the Walk for Autism; feel free to share it with your team or other interested parties from today, my first day of torture and pain for a good cause. 

I have been stepping up and stepping out for the Walking for Autism event to show my support for autism Awareness for a while now. Over the last four years, the support and backing I have received from friends, family, and work colleagues have been amazing.

Once again, I will challenge myself to walk 10,000 steps every day for eight consecutive days, from March 26, 2025, to April 2, 2025, in celebration of International Autism Awareness. While raising much-needed funds to support autistic awareness in the UK and Ireland. To help bring funding and resources to this charity that is so close to my heart.

This year, my walking buddy and biggest encourager, my wife Claire, has joined me once again, along with the newest recruit, Lucas, who will be joining in on some of the walks. From being my wee boy on a scooter back in the COVID Lockdown when he came along once or twice to my big son, almost the same height as me, with a big, deep voice and a cool haircut now. Maybe do a now-and-then shot to prove my point.

As part of my role in the Belfast Metropolitan College in IT Department, I provide services, and skill sets that help support some of the amazing courses and support teams/programmes that come alongside the students with Neurodiverse needs to help them feel a part of our wide college family and prepare them for life and work in a safe caring environment.

Also, my daughter, Lori, who is currently studying Health and Social Care Level 4 at Millfield, has had placement work experience with one of the teams. As a family, we fully support and strive to raise awareness and funds. The Walk for Autism aligns well with my personal ethos and that of the college, which is to help others reach their full potential.

I also want to give a big shout-out to Park School, which Lucas has attended since September 2023; they have an amazing staff and support team working to provide a safe and positive environment for all the children attending the school. Lucas has come on leaps and bounds in their care: 

https://www.parkschoolbelfast.co.uk/

You can help make my steps count and show your support by making a donation today!

Every donation, no matter how big or small, pushes me closer to the goal I have set.

Thank you for helping me to spread Autism Acceptance and Awareness, creating better understanding.

Walk for Autism: Start Date: Wednesday, 26 March 2025, to Wednesday, 02 April 2025, in celebration of International Autism Awareness Day.

https://fundraise.autisminitiatives.org/fundraisers/GarethJohnston-LucasGamerDude/walk-for-autism

Thanks, 

Gareth.

My Achievements

Added profile picture

First donation received

Raised £20 t-shirt is on its way

50% fundraising target

100% fundraising target

Challenge completed

Thank you to my Sponsors

£23.91

Jennifer Campbell

Well done Gareth :)

£11.33

David Mccollum