Today we profile Leah Fowler, who volunteers for SeeSaw which provides grief support for children and young people following the death of a close family member.

Leah Fowler, 74, from Charlbury gives support to children with the organisation SeeSaw, work which earned her one of Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action’s volunteer awards.

She said: “I was very honoured to be chosen by my charity. I think it was on behalf of all the volunteers.”

How did you become involved with the charity?

“In 1997 my youngest son David died at the age of 29. I then went on to do a counselling course, by which time I became aware of the Gloucester bereavement service.

“They said they were setting up a service in Oxford and I got in touch with them.

“I have been on the books from the start.”

How long have you been involved with the charity?

“I have been involved with SeeSaw for ten years non-stop. We are asked to give 16 hours a month.”

What does the charity mean to you?

“It means a lot to me now. I find it very fulfilling. You get out as much as you put into it.

“It is very positive to be able to help children at a time when perhaps it might be difficult for the family to help the child themselves because they have been bereaved.

“Quite often children have a misconception of what has happened. We talk about death in such cliches that they get quite confused.”

How has it made a difference to your life?

“It has definitely made a difference. I am so impressed by how people cope with these tragedies.

“I think I empathize and it has undoubtedly helped me cope with the death of my son.”

lWhat do you do for a living and how does your volunteering affect it?

“I ran a hairdressing business for 47 years but I am now retired, which was when I started volunteering. Because I am retired I find I am able to give quite a lot of time to it Happiest moment while volunteering?

“One person said to me once that what really helps is that somebody cares. You don’t always know what the result is but when you do it is really pleasing.”

Saddest moment while volunteering?

“They are all sad in different ways. I have helped with a lot of traumatic deaths.

“People are always sad when they have been bereaved.

“We do get support so we can always phone the office and offload if we need to.”