Experience Chapelfield through the eyes of an autistic child

Shoppers at Chapelfield in Norwich will be handed virtual reality headsets at the weekend so that they can experience a shopping centre from the perspective of an autistic child.

Headsets will be dished out from 9am on Saturday in an attempt to help people understand what it feels like to experience all those overwhelming sights and sounds experienced by autistic children while out and about.

The project is part of a pioneering initiative between intu and the National Autistic Society, aiming to bring better awareness and support for autistic shoppers and their families.

It's linked to the National Autistic Society's 90-second film 'Can You Make It To The End?' which is shot from an autistic child's perspective.

Alex Marshall, the 10-year-old star of the film, said: 'It really helps when people understand things, and this is a really cool way to do it – you can just show someone inside your head! When someone's seen what it's like, I think they'll know why I get overwhelmed, and then they'll understand that I'm not being naughty.'

'More than 1 in 100 people are on the autism spectrum and our action in support of this campaign will help intu Chapelfield be as accessible and welcoming as possible to all guests,' added intu Chapelfield's Marketing Manager Sheridan Smith.

Chappelfield Norwich hopes to achieve 'Autism Friendly' status within two years.

Visit the National Autistic Society's stand on the lower ground mall, near Game, between 9am and 7pm on Saturday 27 and 11am to 5pm on Sunday 28.