A POOLE woman warned not to leave the house alone due to her autism has found a new lease of life volunteering.

Alex Jordan, 28, and staff at the Care Division, in Canford Heath, have developed a unique working relationship.

Alex, who was run over by cars seven times in a year because cars appear to ‘jump’ along the road, runs the website’s events pages, and while she does it gets some much-needed companionship.

The volunteer of 18 months said: “Everyone here helps me out with things reminding me to eat and drink, taking me to dentist appointments before.

“When I am here people ask me if I’ve had a drink this afternoon. Otherwise I would be in and out of hospital with kidney infections and all sorts.

“I have an iPad but I can postpone alarms and avoid doing things. Having people here just somebody saying have you had a drink this afternoon makes a big difference.”

Alex, who also suffers from epilepsy, has a support worker for 15 hours a week – in that time she’s got to do all her cooking, post, paperwork, appointments and visits.

She takes things literally, and will sign up to things because salesmen tell her it’s a good idea. At one stage she had direct debits to 11 different charities. “Businesses send these things through my door saying sign up,” she said.

“That’s an instruction so that’s what I do.”

Care Division operations manager Helen Spencer said: “Alex has come on in leaps and bounds. She’s looking at positive things that she can do that are of benefit to other people.

“It’s so important for her self esteem. No, you cannot cross the road but can do fantastic graphics that would take me hours.”