A Dundee woman who spent 50 hours living inside a glass box in a busy supermarket to raise awareness of autism smashed her fundraising target.
Meg Jones, 21, spent more than two days living in the box in the entranceway to Tesco Riverside.
Inspired by her older brother, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, she hopes to help others understand what it is like for families with autistic relatives and people with the condition.
According to autism charity Cauldwell Children, the Perspex box acts as a metaphor for autism – the isolation families feel, the difficulties with communication caused by the condition and also the feelings of being trapped and misunderstood that are often associated with it.
Meg, who studied acting at Dundee and Angus College, said she had been overwhelmed with the support she received from the public while boxed up.
“I’m looking forward to a shower and my bed,” she said after her 50-hour lock-in ended at 2pm on Saturday.
“I’ve had so many people writing messages of support on the wall – I’ve been really touched.”
Meg hoped to raise £2,000 for Cauldwell Children during her stay in the cube but raised over £3,250, with some donations still to be counted.
She said: “It’s been really surreal having everyone looking at me but it has been good because everybody has been asking questions about what I have been doing.
“I have felt quite apart from everyone, which is the main thing with autism and speaking through glass makes it more difficult to communicate.”
Meg said she barely slept while in the box but that customers in the 24 hour had been supportive of her campaign, even in the wee small hours.
“It was hard to sleep because the lights are so bright,” she said.
“I thought there would be people banging on the glass but people were nice and wrote notes of support.”
Autism is one of the UK’s most prevalent disabilities with 133,500 children currently diagnosed with the condition..
Despite it affecting such large numbers of children, Meg said many people still have little understanding of the disability.
Meg has been the community champion at the Tesco Extra Store since January and had lots of support for her colleagues and family for the challenge.
Donations can be made through Meg’s Just Giving page or texting LIFA91 £5 to 70070.
