ADHD Unite Network UK

25/08/2026

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MY ADHD BRAIN GETS AN IDEA! 🧠💥

This whole project started with a Facebook post asking for help with the school field. I offered to go and do some digging—and then my little ADHD brain kicked into gear!

One small job quickly turned into:

🟠 A huge sandpit
🟣 Two tunnels joined together and covered with earth
🔵 Another tunnel with tyres built into it for the children to climb and use as steps
🟠 A completely new outdoor play area for the children to explore and enjoy

I’ve done pretty much all the physical work myself. Once my brain sees what something could become, that’s it—bang, boom, boom! I start working out what I can build, what materials I need, where I can get them from and how to make the whole idea happen.

A massive thank you to my friend Terry Cummings, who helped me get the tunnel sections and concrete tunnels for free.

Another huge thank you to Mark at Salford Grabs, who supplied 20 tonnes of MOT stone for underneath the sandpit.

And a big thank you to Mike from my ADHD group, who gave up a couple of days of his own time to come and help me for free. It was really appreciated.

I’ve done this entire project without charging a penny. Giving back is a massive part of who I am. I genuinely believe that when you give your time, effort and kindness to help others—without expecting anything in return—you will receive blessings in other ways.

This is the positive side of my ADHD brain. I might go somewhere intending to do one little job, but then I see the bigger picture. I notice possibilities other people might miss, connect everything together and turn an idea into something real.

It’s been hard graft, but seeing what we’ve created for these children makes every minute worth it. I’m proud of this one. 💙🧡💜

Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation TrustEPiC MENAndys Man Club Manchester - Old TraffordTrafford CouncilClare Sheridan

25/08/2026

🧠 WHEN ADHD AND AUTISM PULL IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS…

For some people living with both ADHD and autism — often called AuDHD — everyday life can feel like two different sets of needs competing in the same brain.

⚡ ADHD may crave stimulation, novelty, spontaneity and change.

🧩 Autism may crave routine, predictability, familiarity and structure.

One part says:
“Let’s do something spontaneous!” 🚀

The other says:
“Absolutely not—we already have a plan!” 📋

Then ADHD decides the plan is boring… while the autistic side needs that plan to feel safe and regulated. 😩😂

This isn’t someone being awkward, difficult or inconsistent. It can be a genuine conflict between different neurological needs.

Understanding your brain doesn’t excuse every behaviour—but it can help you stop blaming yourself and start building strategies that work for you. 💙

Sometimes the answer is planned flexibility: enough structure to feel secure, with enough choice and variety to keep the ADHD brain engaged.

Basically, the brain wants a detailed itinerary—and complete freedom to ignore it! 😂

Does anyone else relate to this? 👀

24/08/2026

🧠 THIS WEDNESDAY — ADHD & RSD

Ever felt rejected, criticised or misunderstood and reacted before you've had time to process it?

Join us as we explore Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria and a simple approach:

NOTICE → NAME → PAUSE → REGULATE → CHOOSE

💙 Safe, non-judgemental peer support
🤝 Share experiences, connect and learn together
🧠 Diagnosed or not — everyone is welcome

📅 Wednesday 26 August
⏰ 7:00–8:30pm
📍 St Matthew’s Community Hall, Stretford

Come as you are - https://fb.me/e/bijPno6Ix 💙



Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation TrustAndys Man Club Manchester - Old TraffordBehavioral and Mental health Awareness PLLCTrafford CouncilNHSADHD UKClare Sheridan

24/08/2026

Proper adhd

23/08/2026

THIS IS ME

These two photographs show the part of my life that matters most: my 23-year-old son with his two dogs, and me with 16-month-old Gracie.

People may know me as the founder of ADHD Unite Network UK and a director of The Blueprint ADHD Support & Skills C.I.C. But behind those titles, I’m just an ordinary man, a dad, and someone who has made plenty of mistakes.

For many years, I didn’t know I had ADHD. I couldn’t understand what was happening inside my own head, and I used alcohol and drugs to quiet the noise, control my emotions and survive life. That doesn’t excuse the choices I made, but it helped me understand what was driving them.

I eventually fought my way through alcoholism and addiction. Then I discovered that I had been living with undiagnosed ADHD for most of my life. Suddenly, so much of my past began to make sense.

That understanding changed the direction of my life.

Today, I use my lived experience to help other people understand their ADHD, learn practical skills and realise that they are not broken or alone.

I’m not a doctor, and I don’t pretend to have all the answers. I’m simply a normal, caring bloke who has been through some dark places, come out the other side and now wants to help others avoid making the same mistakes.

ADHD is not an excuse—but understanding it can be the beginning of real change.

With the right education, support and understanding, recovery is possible, families can heal, and lives can completely change.

I’m living proof that where you came from does not have to decide where you end up. 💙🧡💜Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation TrustAndys Man Club Manchester - Old TraffordEPiC MENTrafford CouncilNHSSt Matthew's Hall StretfordADHD UKClare Sheridan@

21/08/2026

20/08/2026

🧠 WHAT IS EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING?

Executive functioning is your brain’s management system. It helps you:

✅ Start and finish tasks
✅ Plan and organise
✅ Remember instructions
✅ Manage time
✅ Control impulses
✅ Regulate emotions
✅ Move between different activities

When you have ADHD, these skills can be inconsistent. You might know exactly what needs doing but still feel unable to begin.

That isn’t laziness. It’s executive dysfunction.

Here are three free strategies that can help:

1️⃣ Make the task smaller

Don’t tell yourself, “I need to clean the house.”

Choose one tiny starting action: “I’ll put five things away.”

Starting creates momentum.

2️⃣ Get it out of your head

Use alarms, notes, calendars, whiteboards or checklists. Your brain shouldn’t have to hold everything at once.

External reminders are tools—not cheating.

3️⃣ Use a body double

Ask someone to sit with you, call you or work alongside you while you complete the task. They don’t need to help—their presence can make starting and staying focused easier.

The aim isn’t to force an ADHD brain to work like everybody else’s. It’s to build strategies that work with your brain.

Understand your brain. Learn to regulate it. Build skills that work for you. Take back control of your life.

Which executive-functioning skill do you struggle with most?

🟠 Planning
🟣 Starting tasks
🔵 Finishing tasks

ADHD Unite Network UK
The Blueprint ADHD Support & Skills C.I.C.

Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation TrustEPiC MENBehavioral and Mental health Awareness PLLCAndys Man Club Manchester - Old TraffordStretford Town CentreTrafford CouncilNHSADHD UKSt Matthew's Hall StretfordPrison UKThe Sale Sharks@

20/08/2026

💙 THANK YOU!

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us at last night’s ADHD Support Group.

We had a fantastic discussion around Motivation & Goal Setting, exploring our ADHD brains, finding our personal “why”, setting realistic goals and sharing practical strategies that can help us move forward. 🎯🧠

Most importantly, thank you for creating the safe, supportive and non-judgemental space that makes these groups so special. ❤️

It was great to connect, share experiences, support one another and remind ourselves that we don’t have to figure it all out alone.

We can’t do this without you!

📅 Every Wednesday
🕖 7:00–8:30pm
📍 St. Matthew’s Community Hall, Stretford, M32 9AJ

Everyone with ADHD is welcome — diagnosed or not. 💙

👉 Join us / find out more: https://www.facebook.com/share/194EgzxAw5/

Together, We Can. 💙