Personalities including Chris Packham, Anne Hegerty and Christine McGuinness are backing The National Autistic Society (NAS)'s Autism Hour campaign, a project to create a week of autism-friendly shopping experiences across the UK, October 6-13.

High street retailers including The Entertainer, Sainsbury’s, Argos, and Lloyds Bank will host dedicated 'autism hours' at various branches to encourage shops to be more autism friendly year-round, and NAS ambassador Packham, who has Asperger's Syndrome, commented 'I rarely go into supermarkets. I find that environment really challenging... And that’s why I’m very keen to support Autism Hour, those shops which offer an hour where they make the whole atmosphere a lot more relaxing for autistic people'.