We work hard to provide a welcoming, kind and respectful environment at JIGSAW where families can visit to grow support and feel empowered.
Our home in the heart of Thornbury is a safe, accessible space offering inclusive activities and services for children and young people aged 0-25 with additional needs, or disabilities, and their families. A place where sensory and anxiety needs are supported, and a community where families can feel they belong.
JIGSAW is a place where you don’t have to worry about feeling anxious. You don’t have to mask – which is actually the way quite a lot of young people get through the world outside of JIGSAW.
– Parent member feedback.
Our recent feedback survey shows 93% of our parent carers feel their families fits in at JIGSAW most, or all of the time.
I like coming to JIGSAW because I get to be myself without being judged.
– Young member feedback.
How do we help to meet and raise awareness of sensory and anxiety needs at JIGSAW?
Here’s our top ten:
Accessible venue
We have an accessible venue entrance and toilet facilities, sensory play equipment and lighting, clear walls to minimise visual stimulation and visual strips on stairs and for any level changes.- Small numbers
All our sessions 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. 
Pets as Therapy Dog
We have Albus our Pets as Therapy dog present at some services. He is calm and friendly and has been assessed to meet new people without getting too excited, take treats gently, and not react to loud noises.- Visuals
To help children and young people feel prepared, we send out simple visuals beforehand so families can talk through what the session will look like. A few days before your booked event, we send an email reminder that includes details about the session, along with photos of the JIGSAW Thornbury staff member, the volunteers who will be supporting the activity and visuals of the venue. 
Visual timetables
At our events we provide a clear visual timetable helps children know what’s coming next, reducing worries and creating a sense of security.- Friendly, understanding team
There will always be a friendly JIGSAW staff member and volunteer available at our events, so families can feel reassured that support is on hand whenever it’s needed. Our friendly team is supportive, understanding and non judgemental. - Member only events with consistent routines
Our events are for JIGSAW members only and most are bookable in advance. Through our membership and bookings system JIGSAW CharitySuite, we know key information about your family so we can help with triggers and anything we need to know to support you to join in with our events. We try to keep routines at our events consistent too so families know what to expect. - Trusted activity providers
We only work with trusted activity providers who can be flexible to meet the needs of our members. We ask for feedback from members about activity providers, so we can continually assess their suitability as a provider. - Service leaflets
We’ve created a series of leaflets to help you find out about JIGSAW services for the whole family. We understand that getting started or finding the right support can sometimes feel overwhelming, so these leaflets are here to make that first step simpler, clearer, and more welcoming. Each leaflet outlines what the service is, the age group it is intended for, when it takes place, who usually delivers the service and the benefits of attending. They have also been designed to fit inside the main JIGSAW Thornbury leaflet, which provides a general overview of the whole charity. You can see these on our webpage: What we do - 1:1 support and signposting
We offer a one-off 1:1 session to talk with one of our Family Wellbeing and Support Workers for up to 60 minutes. Whether you are new to JIGSAW or yet to join in, we aim to support you to feel more empowered and confident. We will let you know about groups and activities you can join in with at JIGSAW and signpost to any local services that can offer further support on your journey.
JIGSAW’s core values
Our aim is to ensure every member feels informed, confident, and supported from the very beginning. We’re here to help you connect, grow, and make the most of the opportunities available to you!
“Our activities truly reflect JIGSAW Thornbury’s core values. By celebrating our member’s uniqueness through tailored, supportive sessions, fostering a sense of community where families and young people can connect, and promoting empowerment as children and young people gain confidence and independence, we create experiences rooted in compassion and understanding. At the same time, our activities – from STEM challenges to sensory circuits – showcase our commitment to innovation, ensuring every session is engaging, accessible, and meaningful for all.
– explains Rachel, JIGSAW Services Manager.
How does this work in practice?
An example of how we adapt the environment to meet our member’s needs can be seen at our monthly Coding Club. 
- The room is set up with tables facing the wall rather than each other, this can reduce visual distractions and social pressure, helping young people to focus.
- A clear visual timetable supports predictability by showing what’s coming next.
- Simple visual ‘help me’ cards allow a young person to ask for support, without the added demand of verbalising when anxiety is high.
- Individual needs can also be accommodated, such as arriving five minutes early to enter a quieter space before the noise and activity build.
- Headphones and ear defenders always available for young people who are sensitive to noise.
These adjustments help meet sensory and anxiety needs, making our coding sessions more accessible and setting young people up for success!
Find out more!
Find out what to expect when you join in with JIGSAW Thornbury by watching our special, new video created by Media Production student Fong from UWE Bristol, as part of a professional volunteering placement with us.
Please feel assured that if you come to JIGSAW, you will get a warm welcome and a lot of understanding people.
Play video