Local schools and companies give generously
Almost £6,500 has been raised thanks to the sterling efforts of many locally based businesses and school communities
East Grinstead based child bereavement charity Jigsaw (South East) has received more than £6,500 from local schools and companies in Surrey and West Sussex thanks to a wide range of inventive fundraising efforts throughout the Christmas and New Year period.
During December 2017, four schools decided to donate funds raised through collections taken after their nativity performances. A total of more than £2,210 was raised by the following schools, which have worked with Jigsaw (South East) in the past:
- St Stephen’s School in Godstone
- St Lawrence School in Chobham
- Blackwell School in East Grinstead
- St Pauls Catholic College in Sunbury on Thames
Additionally, a number of local firms and organisations managed to raise £4,350 between them, either through one-off donations, collections or via their festive fundraising efforts.
Doves Barn Nursery in East Grinstead donated a percentage of the sale of every Christmas tree it sold; Paul James Jewellers in Oxted selected Jigsaw (South East) as its ‘charity of the year’; Christine Gardner Designs created beautiful Christmas cards, donating a percentage of every pack sold; the Caravan and Motorhome Club held collections at its head office and raffled some bottles of wine; publishers Faversham House organised a special Christmas fundraiser selling cakes, biscuits and mulled wine; Dal Nonno Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria in Crawley Down sold raffle tickets drawing winners on New Year’s Eve; East Grinstead’s St Swithun’s Church ran collections after nativity performances; a parent and toddler group at St Nicolas Church, Great Bookham, had a collection; the Meridian Women’s Institute based in East Grinstead donated money instead of sending Christmas cards; the Petroleum Women’s Club in London donated £150 after nominating us as their chosen charity at their Christmas Luncheon and, finally, Store 4 Biz gave a generous donation.
Sophie Bewley, Fundraising Coordinator for Jigsaw (South East) said: “We were completely staggered by the support we have had from the local community during Christmas and are so grateful to their wide-ranging fundraising efforts that encouraged people to give generously.
“As a small, independent charity that works across Surrey and parts of West Sussex, we receive no government support and are reliant upon donations and fundraising. This terrific amount will be a huge boost to our efforts to reach out to families going through the worst times of their lives.”
Based at East Court Mansion in East Grinstead since 2006, the charity offers
support to children and young people who have a family member with a serious, life-limiting condition. It also provides grief support to children and young people who have experienced the death of a significant family member through illness, accident, suicide or murder (through groups in Reigate and Guildford and East Grinstead).
