The Sheffield Half Marathon 2020 will see funds go towards the Jane Tomlinson Appeal and our recently launched bereavement service, OWLS. Children struggling with grief after losing a loved one are being offered support from a new service launched by the Jane Tomlinson Appeal.

OWLS (Overcoming Worry, Loss and Sadness) will offer help to youngsters aged 4 to 11 who have lost a parent, sibling or other significant loved one. Based in Leeds, the service offers practical and emotional advice and support for families, schools workshops, activity days where children can meet others affected by bereavement and 1-2-1 child psychotherapy for those most severely affected.

The Jane Tomlinson Appeal is the legacy of the late Jane Tomlinson CBE, who made headlines worldwide when she completed a series of seemingly impossible challenges after being diagnosed with incurable cancer and given just six months to live. After raising almost £2m for charity, Jane, from Rothwell, Leeds, died in 2007, leaving three children, Suzanne, Rebecca and Steven. Steven was just 10 when his mum died. It has long been the childrens wish that Janes legacy could be used to help other grieving youngsters.

Rebecca Tomlinson said: Having lost our mum, we understand all too clearly the impact bereavement can have on children and young people. Weve wanted to be able to do something to help for a long time so to be able to finally launch the OWLS service is a really proud day for us all".

No child experiences grief in the same way; even brothers and sisters can cope differently. It can have a real impact, leaving children feeling anxious, sad and even angry. On top of all these feelings, there is a real chance, because of their change of circumstances, they might also have to move home or school causing further upset. All of these things can, understandably, have a real impact on a childs mental health and behaviour.

Figures show that a parent of children under 18 dies every 22 minutes in the UK; around 23,600 a year. This equates to around 111 children being bereaved of a parent every day. One in 29 schoolchildren has been bereaved of a parent or sibling thats a child in every class. In Leeds alone around 260 parents die each year.

Having identified a gap in bereavement support services in the Leeds area, especially those aimed at primary school children, the Jane Tomlinson Appeal has now established OWLS . This free service is made possible by our fantastic fundraisers who continue to support the Jane Tomlinson Appeal and Jane's Legacy