Thanks for taking the time to visit my Jigsaw 4U Swimathon 2012 Page. On the 28th April 2012, I will be swimming 5km for the bereavment Charity Jigsaw4U. 

At the age of 3, my father died of Lung Cancer. 2 years later I attended a set of Jigsaw 4U groups. However this was only the first step in my involvment with Jigsaw 4U. Over the last 12 years, Jigsaw have invited me to appear on two resource video's, a selection of conferences as well as taking me on a team that went to Sri Lanka after the 2004 Tsunami. Experiences such as these have changed my life and given me confidence and helped me find ways of dealing with my Fathers death. I am now, at the age of 18, in a position where I work with young children who were in the same position as me, to try and help them through the most difficult time of their lives. 

Like many small Charities, Jigsaw 4U is finding it tough in the current dire economic climate. The work Jigsaw 4U does is vital to so many young people in the UK. It must continue and expand to reach many other children, who at the moment, aren't lucky enough to experience this service. Many of which feel they are totally alone and unsupported. With the help of donations from people like you, I hope to support these children and give them the same life changing experience that I was lucky enough to benefit from.

Below is a list of what the money you donate, would go towards.

£10 - will purchase the salt for 100 bereaved children to create a 'salt jar' in memory of their loved one

£10 - will pay for the refreshments for a young peoples group

£10 - will cover the cost of the achievement certificates for 50 children and young people

£15 - will pay for the paint for 50 children to use to express themselves in groups

£30 - will cover the cost of the memory boxes for 100 children on the grief support groups

£30 - will pay for an activity with an advocate meeting with a looked after or disabled young person

£40 - will cover the cost of the candles for the 'candlelight ceremony' at the family weekend

£40 - will enable 8 young people to participate in a consultation

£50 - will cover the cost of the balloons and gas for the 'balloon release' at the family weekend

£50 - will pay to translate documents into a child's first language or into symbols, Braille etc for a disabled child

£70 - will pay a sessional worker for 3 hours 1:1 work with a disabled child

£100 - will cover the cost of a peer support group

£150-200 - will pay for the 15 teddy bears that each child receives at the 'closing ceremony' of the family weekend

£500 - will pay for an eleven evenings of training for volunteers