Dawn shares why she has raised funds for Child Bereavement UK with her daughter Ava, aged six.

Bringing Ava into my fundraising activities has given me the opportunity to share memories of my mother, her grandmother, to talk about the taboo subject of death, and has given her a chance to learn about her family, and in doing so, help me heal from the process.

Ava and I have taken on several challenges to raise funds for Child Bereavement UK including the  Inflatable 5K Challenge in Leeds and  3K Colour Run in Blackpool.  We are now planning to take on the Yorkshire Three Peaks in September. On my own, I have also  taken on the Jurassic Coast 100K, Three National Peaks in 24 Hours, and a charity boxing match.

My mother Deborah Ellis, who was my only parent, passed when I was twelve, unexpectedly, aged just 30. I have experienced first-hand how important it is to receive the right support during bereavement and how grief, particularly for a young person, is a confusing time and can have a terrible impact on your mental health.

Bringing Ava into my fundraising activities has given me the opportunity to share memories of my mother, her grandmother, to talk about the taboo subject of death, and has given her a chance to learn about her family, and in doing so, help me heal from the process.

Taking on these challenges and raising money for the charity has been the most rewarding thing I have ever done. I have improved my overall fitness, lowered my biological age, and lowered the chances of Ava needing to use the charity in the future. Of course, tomorrow is not guaranteed, but this is the most important thing I have gained from taking on the challenge.

The fundraising team at Child Bereavement UK has supported me throughout the challenges with regular check-ins and ongoing support.

My advice to anyone considering a challenge is just do it. There’s no better feeling than challenging yourself while raising money for an incredible cause.

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If you have been inspired to take on a challenge for us, please visit our challenge events page, contact our fundraising team on [email protected] or call us on 01494 569048.