FOR three years teaching assistant Alison Dowdell has inspired and encouraged eight-year-old Dylan Wilde to cope with life in a mainstream school.

Dylan suffers from autistic spectrum disorder. Now Alison, 42, of Ash Brake, has been nominated by Bridlewood Primary School headteacher, Jo Garton, and Dylan’s mother Emma Wilde for a Pride Of Swindon award.

“I was taken aback,” said Alison. “I was called into the head’s office and I thought there was something wrong. When she told me I couldn’t speak. It is a lovely feeling to be nominated.”

Alison sits beside Dylan all day at school and keeps him focused by helping him to understand lessons by using visual aids such as pictures or writing stories.

“Using the imagination is a struggle for autistic children,” said Alison.

But it is not simply the care and attention Alison gives to Dylan and another little boy she helps at school that has won her the nomination. Alison also gives up her time for Dylan after school.

“I help Dylan with sporting activities and gave his mother a break by going along to tae kwon do with him,” she said.

“He settled in so well that now he can go with his instructor rather than me or his mother.

“Next term I will be going swimming with him so we have been on a dummy run already when the other group were in the water. It is so Dylan knows where the changing rooms are and so he can see the routine.”

“He is a lovely boy and it is lovely to see how he has flourished and it is nice to be part of it.”

Emma says her son would not have progressed as well as he has without Alison’s help.

“Every day at school is a struggle for Dylan with his speech and communication difficulties and she is there every day, even when she is ill,” said Emma.

Alison worked with children with special needs in Suffolk and then she met her husband Ian, 21 years ago in Corfu. When they moved to Swindon she helped at a residential home for adults with special needs.

After having her children, Jake and Aaron, she started working at the primary school.

“I really enjoy working with the children,” she said.

The closing date for nominating your local hero for a Pride Of Swindon Award is Wednesday and the awards ceremony will be on Thursday, April 7 at the Steam Museum.

For more details and application forms visit www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk and click on Pride Of Swindon link.