AN autism charity has helped a teenager to set up his own business once he leaves school.

Autism Anglia offers supported living and education to autistic adults and children and has helped Mersea teenager Ty Bowring to rent out his family’s beach hut on the island.

Ty, who is 17 and a student at Autism Anglia’s Doucecroft School in Colchester, has been working with the school’s transition team which has allowed him to prepare for life after he has completed education.

His family purchased a beach hut on Mersea Island after Ty’s brother died in 2010, and Ty has been working hard to make sure the hut is ready for the family to rent out.

Having attended Doucecroft School for four years, staff at the school have helped support Ty through personal problems in a safe and supportive environment with a peer group and special needs teacher who understand him.

Gazette: Supported – Ty has made progress thanks to the help of the Doucecroft SchoolSupported – Ty has made progress thanks to the help of the Doucecroft School

Ty said: “The school has helped me to become more confident, learn new things, and Ramen the Guinea pig has helped me to be happier.”

He has also been hard at work to make sure the hut is ready to rent out to customers, by creating a website with the help of his uncle, as well as making sure the hut is clean and tidy.

Ty has started promoting the venture on social media and has created videos to let people know about the business.

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He said: “It is very hard to get the business ready because so many things are not written in a good way for me to understand. I wanted to make most of the choices so need things to be clear.

“I want to be a good manager, help lots of people have a nice day at the hut, raise money for Autism Anglia and Freedom Boat Adventures, and earn money to spend on gaming and films.”

The Little Beach Hut Company, a popular holiday business based in Mersea, has also helped Ty by giving him advice on how to run the business.