This summer was one to remember! Over six weeks, JIGSAW Thornbury hosted 20 holiday events designed for children and young people with additional needs, and their families – from babies right through to young adults up to 25 years old. Our aim was to create opportunities for families and siblings to enjoy activities together, while also giving young people aged 14 – 25 the option to attend independently if they wished.
Across the 20 events, we recorded 217 ‘check-ins’ on JIGSAW CharitySuite (our membership booking system), with 132 individual members attending one or more events.
Rachel Peart, JIGSAW Services Manager explains,
“This summer’s holiday activities truly reflected JIGSAW Thornbury’s core values. By celebrating each child’s uniqueness through tailored, supportive sessions, fostering a sense of community where families and young people could connect, and promoting empowerment as children and young people gained confidence and independence, we created experiences rooted in compassion and understanding. At the same time, our innovative activities – from STEM challenges to sensory circuits – showcased our commitment to innovation, ensuring every session was engaging, accessible, and meaningful for all.”
Firstly, a huge Thank You!
We are deeply grateful to our summer holiday event funders – Peter Harrison Foundation, True Colours Trust, and Thornbury Town Council – whose generosity made it possible for children, young people, and their families to enjoy inclusive, memorable experiences that bring our community together.
These events wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of our four JIGSAW staff members, supported by an incredible team of nine adult JIGSAW volunteers and six youth volunteers. Together, they helped make this summer both accessible and meaningful for so many families, working and volunteering a total of 79 hours.
Building Friendships and Confidence
One of the most rewarding parts of the holiday activities was watching children and young people build new friendships and grow in confidence.
One of our volunteers said “I enjoyed getting to know a range of young people that I don’t always get to see. I appreciated how open they were and how quickly they made friends – in some cases having really deep and meaningful conversations.”
From a lively youth café session at Hawkes House, where young people supported one another, to Family Forest Fun, where everyone got stuck into outdoor activities with enthusiasm, it was clear that these events created safe and welcoming spaces for connection.
Our holiday sessions for children with additional needs are designed to be calm, supportive, and welcoming. We keep numbers small so there’s plenty of space and less noise, making it easier for everyone to feel comfortable and enjoy themselves. To help children feel prepared, we send out simple visuals beforehand so families can talk through what the session will look like. On the day, a clear visual timetable helps children know what’s coming next, reducing worries and creating a sense of security. There will always be a friendly JIGSAW staff member there, along with a volunteer at times too, so families can feel reassured that support is on hand whenever it’s needed.
It was also a joy to welcome new families into the JIGSAW Thornbury community. One parent attending their first event said she was grateful to have finally found us and wished she had known about JIGSAW sooner. Her son jumped straight in and had a wonderful time.
Another parent shared how her son initially struggled with the social aspects but, with gentle encouragement, overcame his worries and joined in fully.
Family Moments that Matter
The holidays can be a challenging time for many families, but our sessions provided much-needed opportunities to connect. One highlight was the family swimming sessions at Wotton Pool, where families enjoyed swimming and playing together in a calm, welcoming environment.
One of our team said “Seeing a whole family enjoy swimming at Wotton Pool together with the freedom to be themselves in a relaxed environment while reinforcing healthy exercise habits for the holidays was wonderful. It felt like an important summer day out that may not have been possible without JIGSAW.”
For another parent, the quiet and supportive environment made all the difference, “Lovely quiet space for my children to swim and play together without the overwhelm.”
Lego Fun returned by popular demand, with a quiet session available for those who prefer a calmer environment. New friendships were formed, and old connections rekindled as amazing collaborative Lego models came to life. A dream house complete with a swimming pool and dolphins, Lego mini figures of some well-known staff members, a thrilling Lego rollercoaster, and an impressive waterslide were just a few of the fantastic creations on display.
One of the highlights was the challenge to build a Lego zip wire. After a few spectacular crash-and-burn attempts, the creative builds were successfully transported from one side of the room to the other – much to everyone’s delight!
A participating Grandparent said “Seeing my granddaughter joining in laughing and engaging with the other children makes me happy.”
Creativity, Imagination, and Achievement
This summer, we trialled our very first Explore, Create, Experiment holiday activity – a hands-on journey into the exciting world of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM).
Children had a fantastic time diving into group challenges, including testing whether water can walk through capillary action (it can!) and whether CO₂ can make raisins dance (it did!).
Our weekly Sensory Circuit sessions were also a huge success, with different weekly themes such as ‘Antarctic Adventures’ and ‘Knights and Castles,’ ending with calming creative activities to take home.
Sue, JIGSAW sessional trainer, led Sensory Circuits and reported that the children loved the different themes for the activities each week, and making something to take home gave them a sense of achievement.
These sessions helped children engage in activities they might normally find overwhelming. With support, what once felt unachievable became fun, rewarding experiences.
“The sessions enable the kids to join in with activities that they would otherwise feel too anxious to participate in. But with the support provided, it becomes more achievable.” said one parent.
Our two Youth Clubs planned their own summer holiday trips, working together to ensure activities were enjoyable and inclusive for everyone. Monday’s Youth Club spent a full sunny day exploring Cattle Country, while Tuesday’s Youth Club enjoyed Ten-pin Bowling and lunch at McDonald’s in Cribbs Causeway.
Both trips offered young people the chance to gain independence in the community with support from JIGSAW staff and volunteers.
Looking Ahead
The feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive. Families appreciated that JIGSAW supports the whole family unit, not just the individual child.
“A fabulous event. I feel JIGSAW supports our whole family the best. We live in BS7 and would love it if some offers were more this way.” said one participating family.
This summer showed the true impact of bringing people together in safe, fun, and supportive spaces. Whether through outdoor adventures at The Wave, sensory play, swimming, or youth meet-ups, the heart of every session was about connection, growth, and joy.
We are so proud of everything – and we can’t wait to continue creating opportunities for children and young people with additional needs and their families to thrive.
Please Support Us!
Our summer holiday events cost over £2,000 to run, and we couldn’t make them happen without the kindness and support of people like you. Every donation, big or small, helps us create fun, inclusive experiences for children, young people, and their families. If you’d like to get involved, or contribute towards future events, we’d love to hear from you at fundraising@jigsawthornbury.org.uk – together, we can make a real difference.