After my husband Chris died in 2021, I found connection with other widows and support from the peer support network WAY Widowed and Young to be invaluable in helping me through the practical and emotional struggles of bereavement. 

Seeing the life-changing impact bereavement charities have on so many people, I wanted to find a way to give back. Walks, runs and physical challenges are a brilliant way to raise funds and awareness, but aren’t something everyone can do, and can be tough for families to take part in together. 

One day, while struggling with a particularly bad flare-up of long Covid, I was stuck in bed and passing the time by making origami animals. I remembered the story of Sadako Sasaki, a Japanese schoolgirl who made over 1,000 paper cranes after the bombing of Hiroshima at the end of World War II. According to legend, an individual or group making 1,000 cranes within a year would be able to make a wish to ease pain and illness. 

Inspired by Sadako, people now make cranes in memory of departed loved ones as part of the celebration of Obon Day in August – an annual Buddhist event to commemorate one’s ancestors. 

I got in touch with WAY with the idea that, instead of a run, I might organise a sponsored origami event. I would make 1,000 paper swans/cranes over the course of a month.  We’re calling the project the Summer of Swans as it was pointed out to me that the swans would fit with WAY’s logo which has a swan as it is a true creature of beauty. A swan looks calm on the surface, despite paddling furiously below to stay afloat. This symbolises how it can feel to grieve the loss of a loved one. 

People would have the opportunity to donate and have a swan made in memory of someone special. And people of all ages and abilities could join in, making or decorating their own swans. The folks at WAY were up for it! So, I’d like to warmly invite you to join us for the Summer of Swans! 

https://www.widowedandyoung.org.uk/summer-of-swans

How it works:

You can donate £2 or more to sponsor a swan and support young widowed people across the UK to heal, connect, grow and find the individual support we need. Once you make a donation, I’ll dedicate one of the thousand swans in memory of your special person, and I will handwrite a short message of your choosing in the folds of the swan. 

Instructions

 Donate a minimum of £2 here

 In the ‘Leave a message’ box put the name of the person you would like to be remembered and any message you would like written on the swan

 Your swan will be created, and the handwritten dedication will be added by Griffyn. 

OR

You can donate without specifying a message to sponsor the 1,000 swans and join the effort to provide better support to bereaved partners.

AND/OR:

Make a swan yourself! Alternatively, you can also make your own origami swan and share pictures online and/or send your swan(s) to us at WAY. You can even set yourself your own target number of swans for the month and raise money yourself, if you prefer!

Get friends and family involved, and encourage them to make a swan in memory of a loved one too. I’ve made an easy-to-follow instruction video on folding the swans and a reference sheet to use at home.

Video: https://youtu.be/x7aF870rwCw

Reference Sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1t65O-w7Kng-3no8MEJsBOw78ClBL7UP7/view?usp=sharing

Instructions

 Donate a minimum of £2 here and leave the comment "making my own swan" or "making our own swans"

 Follow the how-to guide and make your own swan

 Send your swan(s) to the address below by 6 September 2024

WAY Widowed and Young

Advantage House

Stowe Court

Stowe Street

Lichfield

WS13 6AQ

Join us: There are lots of ways to get involved, so please do join us for our Summer of Swans. Grief touches us all, but we never need to face it alone. 

What happens next? At the beginning of September, we will collect the 1,000 swans I’ve made for a final swan song, along with any swans you’d like to post to us, and display them at WAY’s Annual Gathering and AGM on 20-22 September. 

It promises to be a colourful and creative tribute to those we love and have lost – and a lovely way to raise funds to support young widowed people across the UK.

Thank you so much for your support!

Griffyn has volunteered for WAY since 2023, kindly offering his time and experience to support the charity as a member of our LGBTQIA+ Diversity Working Group. Read more: https://www.widowedandyoung.org.uk/about-us/about-way/our-people/our-volunteers/griffyn-diversity-working-group-volunteer