ONE OF the most heart-wrenching things about having a grown-up child with physical or learning challenges is the difficulty they can sometimes have with making friends and developing relationships.

Now two mums from Bournemouth and the New Forest are about to change that with a new charity.

Jane Atkinson and Barbara O'Dwyer met when Jane's son, George, 21, and Barbara's daughter, Josie, 24, who are both have high-functioning autism, met on a blind date.

Jane, who lives in the New Forest, said: "Barbara and I thought it was great that they were together but they didn't have a great social life and we noticed it was hard to maintain friendships and relationships."

They decided that what was needed was a way of allowing adults with challenges to meet and socialise safely and to acquire a few life-skills on the way.

"There's nothing out there for them really," said Jane. "George is at college doing health and social care and has more avenues for friendship but there's no real groups for them to help build friendships."

They decided to correct the situation by launching the Positive Path Foundation which will put on social events several times a month, hold life-skills workshops and help young people over the age of 18 build a social life and make new friends.

Jane stresses that it's not a dating agency but: "If they do want to have or find a deeper relationship we'll help with matching them with suitable people within the charity. If they want to go out together we'll chaperone them and keep an eye on things. In the end, you can't build a relationship without a friendship so that will be the main focus," she said.

Initially the charity will operate in Dorset and Hampshire but eventually the mums would like to see it rolled out across the UK as a desperately-needed service.

"Councils have very little money for this kind of thing and so we thought we'd better do something ourselves," said Jane.

Now they are seeking business donations and sponsorships form local enterprises who would like to work with them.

"It's a really worthwhile thing to do as it will help people so much," said Jane.

*positivepathfoundation.org