A Thank You from Lesley - 2024 Highlights & Achievements

Dear Friends, Family & Supporters

Thank You for an Incredible Year of Support – Here’s to More in 2025! 🎉

A personal note from Founder, Trustee and most importantly, Will’s Mum.

As we reflect on 2024, I’m filled with gratitude for the incredible support we've received from so many wonderful people. It’s been a year of highs and lows — some events were canceled due to weather, and others didn’t work out as planned. But we’ve always strived to try new things and take on new challenges, all while keeping Will’s spirit and passions at the heart of what we do.

Looking ahead, 2025 will be a very special year — Will’s 21st birthday. It’s hard to believe he’s been gone for six years now, but we are determined to make his milestone year one to remember, with a celebration of everything he loved.

Every year, I am overwhelmed by the support, kindness, and unexpected generosity that comes our way. Whether you volunteered, donated, cheered us on, or helped in countless other ways, YOU make a difference. 💙

2024 Highlights & Achievements

It’s impossible to capture everything, but here are some of the standout moments:

🏅 A Record-Breaking £422,000 Raised

We’re beyond thrilled to announce that, as of November 2024, we raised £422,000 for the charity. This achievement is thanks to YOU, our incredible supporters. Together, we’ve made 2024 a year to remember!

🚌 Willdoes Double Decker Bus

In 2024, the #Willdoes Community Bus, a joint project by the #Willdoes charity and Dorset Youth Association, continued its mission to support young people's mental health across Dorset. The converted double-decker bus, featuring a kitchen, consultation area, and relaxation spaces, served as a mobile youth hub, offering a safe environment for socialising, information, and support from youth workers, counsellors, and medical professionals.

The bus collaborated with Dorset Council, The Drop In Portland, and various community organisations, reaching areas like Swanage, Weymouth, Dorchester, and rural villages. Notably, over 250 young people interacted with the bus through The Drop In Portland, using it as a space to seek support and relaxation.

The bus collaborated with Dorset Council, The Drop In Portland, and various community organisations, reaching areas like Swanage, Weymouth, Dorchester, and rural villages. Notably, over 250 young people interacted with the bus through The Drop In Portland, using it as a space to seek support and relaxation.

Key initiatives included:

  • In early 2024, the bus focused on bereavement support at The Front Skate Park in Weymouth, partnering with Mosaic and the Dorset Mental Health Forum.

  • It later stationed at Weymouth Esplanade and Marsh Skatepark, providing warm spaces for young people and offering support through trained youth workers.

  • At Bestival 2024, the bus served as a hub for well-being activities, with over 800 attendees benefiting from its services.

  • A partnership with Absolute Music in Poole allowed over 150 decorated ukuleles to be given to attendees, further enhancing community engagement.

The bus’s efforts continued to raise awareness of mental health and provide crucial support across Dorset.

Huge thanks to Agri-com, and especially Ian, for his invaluable help maintaining the bus and advising us on future challenges.

🛹 Skateboarding Passion

We kept Will’s love for skateboarding alive this year, with events like the Swanage Skatepark Open Day and Skateboard Jam in June. We also took the bus to Weymouth Skatepark, continuing to support local skaters and the wider community.

🚴 Rockets & Rascals Cycle Race

We were privileged to have Olympic cyclist Victoria Pendleton at our Rockets & Rascals Cycle Race, which raised £5,000. Huge thanks to Hugh Roper and the team for making this event such a success.

🏌️ Golf Day

After a rain delay in spring, our Golf Day at Isle of Purbeck went ahead in October, with 19 teams competing in perfect weather. It was one of our best-ever Golf Days, and we’re already excited for next year’s event on October 9th, 2025!

Fun Horse & Pony Ride over the Jurassic Coast

Around 80 horses and riders took part in a 15-mile charity hack in Dorset back in July, raising over £1600! Aged from seven to over 70, the riders travelled from as far as Bridport and the other side of the New Forest and were astounded by the stunning coastal views and long canters. Organised by Henry and Sacha Scott, the hack started at the Scott Estate near the village of Kingston around a mile inland of Dorset's Jurassic Coast with most riders taking around two hours to complete the scenic route.

🏃 Running & Walking

From the Corfe Castle Run to Jamie Pritlove’s epic 50km run from Weymouth to Swanage, and the Hairy Veterans tackling the Wessex Ridgeway, this year was filled with inspiring running events. These athletes pushed their limits, all while raising vital funds for our charity.

Sporting Bears Motor Club Dream Rides

Back in May, Sporting Bears Motor Club, had a Track and Wheels day at The Tank Museum, in Bovington. and raised £3,359 for #Willdoes. On the day children and adults were able to get a once in a lifetime 10 mile passenger ride in the amazing cars like a Lamborghini, Ferrari, Mustang, GTR, Aston Martin and Lotus.

🎯 Clay Pigeon Shoot

Our inaugural Clay Pigeon Shoot was a hit! It was a fantastic day and raised much-needed funds, so we’re looking forward to bringing it back in 2025.

🎤 Bestival & Swanalulu Festival

These events gave us amazing exposure, bringing our cause to a wider audience. While the financial outcome wasn't as expected, the profile boost was invaluable. We also made it onto TV — amazing to see so many new faces supporting our cause!

🚜 Tractor Run

The Tractor Run was a huge success, raising over £5,000. The event received extensive media coverage, and we’re grateful to Michael Miller and his family for letting us use their land. Special thanks to Bryony and Kian from the #Willdoes committee for all their hard work in making this event possible.

🏊‍♀️ Boxing Day Dip

Our Boxing Day Dip is growing every year! This year, we raised £1,800, thanks to your generous donations and the amazing raffle supported by Chococo. Huge thanks to Land & Wave for their safety support.

💝 Grants Awarded

Thanks to your donations, we’ve been able to award grants to a number of local organisations, including:

  • Purbeck Youth & Community Foundation

  • Untapped

  • Swanage & Purbeck Youth Community

  • Relate Dorset

  • Poole Community CIC

  • Mosaic Family

  • Dorset Youth Association (youth workers on the #Willdoes Bus)

We’re proud to support these incredible causes that align with our mission.

🎁 A Special Holiday Gift for You

As a token of our appreciation, we’ve teamed up with Sam Lewis (our committee member) to offer you a special holiday discount! If you’re planning a trip in the new year, reach out to Sam at sam.lewis@notjusttravel.com, and not only will you get a great discount, but 10% of her commission will go directly to Willdoes. It’s a win-win!

Looking Ahead to 2025

As we look ahead to Will’s 21st birthday, we’re excited to announce new events for the year, including:

  • A 10K Run/Walk (dates TBA)

  • A new cycle event with 15km, 30km, and 50km routes on April 27th (limited spaces available!)

AGM – Meet the Team

7pm on Thursday 27th March at the The Bear, 14 South St, Wareham, BH20 4LT

We’ll be holding our Annual General Meeting on Thursday 27th March, and we’d love to see you there! Come meet the team behind this amazing charity and help us continue to support the young people of Dorset.

Thank you, once again, for your continued support and for helping make 2024 such an incredible year. We couldn’t do this without you. Together, we’ll continue to honour Will’s legacy and create even more positive change in 2025.

Here's to another amazing year ahead!

With heartfelt thanks,

Les 🌈💙 & the #Willdoes Team

Kristal Bowdler