FOR most concert-goers, walking into a gig brings feelings of excitement and anticipation.

But for 33-year-old Sarah Hewitt, the experience can be agonisingly stressful as she struggles to adapt to an unfamiliar surrounding.

Sarah has Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism which affects how a person makes sense of the world, processes information and relates to other people.

On Wednesday she and six other people with the condition were shown around the O2 Academy, in Cowley Road, Oxford, to help them acclimatise to the venue.

Mrs Hewitt said: “Generally people with Asperger’s are very logical people, who like to know how things work.

“But not knowing what to expect can cause undue stress. It helps just to understand the venue, find out where the toilets are, and know where to get earplugs if the music has got too loud.”

The Headington resident was diagnosed with Asperger’s when she was 26.

She said: “This is about educating venues, so they can recognise the behaviour and get that person what they need.

“It’s difficult for businesses to know where things might be difficult for someone with autism or Asperger’s syndrome, and how they can modify things.

“But for people on the autism spectrum, it can help just knowing a venue before going there.”

There are believed to be about 8,000 people in Oxfordshire with varying forms of autism.

Mrs Hewitt said there were plans to hand out “autism alert cards” in the county to inform people about its symptoms.

She said: “If someone with autism was then acting differently, they could hand the card to people.

“If they feel overwhelmed, autistic people start to change their behaviour, which might seem unusual to people.”

The tour was led by the venue’s general manager, Joe Roberts.

He said: “My experience of people with autism and Asperger’s was not very extensive. Most people think a disability will be physical, but obviously there are other disabilities that need looking after.”

Mr Roberts said all businesses should think about how they could help people on the autism spectrum.

  • For more information on autism, go to Oxfordshire Autistic Society’s website at oasisonline.org.uk or call 07900 144493