Simon Rice is autistic and has the challenge of managing anxiety and communication. In his latest You tube video he talks about a new band called the Emotichew, available from his local shop Spiffy (The Happiness Shop) in Carmarthen, which is a useful tool to show whether he feels comfortable to communicate, due to his anxiety in certain situations.

Simon is a self-taught photographer who regularly uploads YouTube videos on topics such as gaming, books, travel, music and reviews, with a focus on his work as an advocate for Learning Disability Awareness.

In the video, Simon talks about his struggle with anxiety, particularly following the outbreak of Covid 19 and the increase of people wearing masks and social distancing. He regularly uses google transcribe, which he finds a useful tool for communication, along with sign language, photography gaming and the new band which he is keen to promote to help those in similar situations.

The band is available for adults and children and is made up of two colours.

The green side displays a happy face and the words Talk to me for when the wearer feels approachable and wanting to speak to people. The red side of the band, has an angry face and says Leave me be, for those times when the wearer feels overwhelmed or anxious and does not want to communicate.

Simon has shared his review on social media sites, receiving positive feedback from parents of children with autism and Aspergers syndrome, as well as adults with learning disabilities and communication problems.

He enthuses Spiffy is a wonderful place for promoting wellbeing, telling viewers to visit the shop if they’re local, or get involved with their social media if they live further afield.

“We need more shops like it in the world promoting positivity and happiness. There’s a saying you can’t buy happiness. Those people obviously haven’t been to Spiffy”.

Watch Simon’s review below.