I am raising money for Simon Says, a Hampshire-based charity that supports children and young people who have been bereaved. This charity is deeply personal to me.

This year, I’m supporting Simon Says through a CGI-wide football tournament, and alongside that I’ll also be taking on a 10k run as a personal challenge to help raise additional funds.

Our team is fundraising to help Simon Says continue its work and reach more young people, and I would be incredibly grateful for any support.

Every year in the UK, around 46,300 children are bereaved of a parent, that’s 127 every single day. Statistically, there is at least one bereaved child in every classroom. Charities like Simon Says exist to make sure those children don’t go through that alone.

When I was seven years old, my dad died of cancer. At that age, I didn’t have the words to explain what I was feeling, I just knew that life had changed overnight. Like many bereaved children, I tried to carry on as normal, but inside things felt very different.

A local charity called Simon Says supported me during that time. They gave me space to talk, to feel, and to still be a child, and that support stayed with me. Since the age of 18, I’ve volunteered with the charity, and for the last 10 years I’ve been a Lead Volunteer for their Young People’s Group, now supporting teenagers going through experiences very similar to my own.

Simon Says is a small, local charity and relies heavily on fundraising and community support to continue its work. Without that support, these safe spaces simply wouldn’t exist.

This year is especially important, as Simon Says celebrates its 25th anniversary, marking 25 years of supporting bereaved children and families across Hampshire. Supporting them during this milestone year would make a meaningful difference.

This isn’t just a charity I support, it’s one that supported me when I needed it most.

If you’re looking to support something that truly changes lives, I’d really appreciate you considering Simon Says.

Find out more:

Website - https://www.simonsays.org.uk/

Film - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCpSnGCDm5Y