Here you can read about all of our past work, events and much more
2012
From 9 to 15 October 2012 it is Baby Loss Awareness Week.
There are many people whose lives have been touched by the loss of a baby before or just after birth.
Understandably, it can be heart-breaking to deal with such a loss.
The Baby Loss Awareness Campaign recognises how alone and alienated bereaved mothers often feel. This is why they are encouraging people to try and understand pregnancy and the depth of the devastation experienced. Baby Loss Awareness Week was set up to coincide with International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day on 15 October.
British and US studies have shown that the psychological impact of losing a baby can last for many years. And considering one in five pregnancies result in a miscarriage, it just conveys how important it is to spend time on caring for affected mothers.
Throughout the week, volunteers will be hosting a number of events so that parents who have lost a baby know that they are not alone and that there is help available to help them with their grieving.
Hopefully, it will also show them that they have the support ofother women who have experienced similar trauma.
You can show your support by taking part in the 'Wave of Light' on 15 October, which is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. The idea is to light a candle at 7.00pm and let it burn for at least an hour in remembrance of all babies that have died during pregnancy, at, during or after birth. People will be taking part across the globe to create a 'Wave of Light' to recognise the memory of the babies who lit up our lives.
You can visit the official Baby Loss Awareness Week website and order resources to help promote any fundraising events. And, you would can also order handmade ribbon pins as a symbol of rememberance.
In August 2012, Gary Barlow and his wife tragically lost there daughter Poppy at 38 weeks. She was dilvered stillborn. This news was something we could all relate to at SANDS. Our vice-chair Carla Poole was interview for a national newspaper. here is her very brave story
Carla Poole, 31, a charity worker from Letchworth, Hertfordshire, had enjoyed a “textbook” first pregnancy, and was at 37-and-a-half weeks when the baby stopped moving and she felt pain. “I thought it was the start of labour,” she says. She and her fiancé went to Lister Hospital in February last year. To their relief, monitors detected the baby’s heartbeat, but it was slow. Fearing the infant was in distress, doctors ordered a Caesarean delivery.
“All of a sudden the heart stopped beating, the line went flat,” says Miss Poole. “I was rushed into theatre, I could hear them shouting, 'we’ve got to get the baby out!’ That was the last thing I heard.”
Attempts to resuscitate the infant failed. When Miss Poole regained consciousness, she knew immediately what had happened. “We saw the baby, we named her Daisy. I held her,” she says simply. “The chaplain came and we had her blessed, in front of the rest of the family. That was important to us, we needed to say goodbye.”
The couple was given a memory box containing a lock of hair, photographs and Daisy’s hand and footprints, which they had made into a silver charm bracelet, worn by Miss Poole.
“I take great comfort from the fact that Daisy has not gone forgotten."
For the full story on this article, then please click on the link below-
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/familthaty/9469008/Stillbirth-causes-a-grief--hurts-unlike-any-other.html
2011
Saturday 24th December 2011
The members and exercise instructors at North Herts. Leisure Centre raised over £1200 by having a Sponsored Attackathon on Christmas Eve 3 hours of body attack! Our Chair and committee member took part - Well done to all.
October 4th 2011
The chairman of North Herts District Council is calling on businesses to help support parents who have lost a baby.
Michael Weeks is asking Comet country companies to help create a homely environment for parents at a new family room at Lister Hospital.
The room, one of two in the hospital’s new maternity wing which opens on October 17, will give space to bereaved parents and those whose children are very sick.
In partnership with his charity of the year - the North Herts Stillbirth and Neonatal Death charity (SANDS), Cllr Weeks is asking for donations that will make families feel at home rather than at hospital.
He said: “While the basic requirement will be met by the NHS Trust, SANDS would like to provide those little extras to make the rooms feel more like home. Of the two rooms, SANDS is able to equip one from its own funds and the generosity of its members, but wish to appeal local businesses to help with the second room.”
Samantha Murphy, chairman of North Herts SANDS added: “You can never ease the pain of losing a baby but you can try to make the experience less traumatic. It’s important that the new family rooms at the Lister are more reminiscent of home than of hospital. To that end we are seeking items such as a television, DVD player, iPod dock and small items that will keep young children occupied, as well as a bed, bedside cabinets and two wipeable tub-style chairs in order to provide a comforting environment for parents to come to terms with their loss and spend time with their baby.”
Sunday 10th July 2011
Service of Remembrance being held in the Educational Centre at the lister hospital.
Saturday 18th June 2011
-Catherine Jeanes and Davinder Rai, 'Walked for life' 4 laps of fairlands lake in Stevenage to raise money and awareness for SANDS in loving memory of Kirat Singh Rai 24/04/2006 and Aiden Minett-Jeanes 09/12/2010 and all other angel babies.
Friday 20th May 2011
MBDA Stevenage’s 5km Fun Run and Walk took place. It attracted 56 employees (34 runners and 22 walkers), who started and finished at the southern end of
the site and ran or walked along the town’s cycle paths in between.
We were this year’s chosen charity for the sponsorship and entry fees. Our chair, Dr Sam Murphy, started both the walk and the run.
2010
December 2010
North Herts Sands decorated a tree which we named 'Our Shining Stars' at the Letchworth Christmas Tree Festival in the Letchworth Free Church, Norton Way South.
The tree was decorated with a number of gold and silver stars which contained personal Christmas messages from local families for the baby or babies they have lost. Visitors were also invited to write a message on a star and hang it on the tree.
Wednesday 1st December 2010
St Albans Half Marathon presentation evening, North Herts Sands were rewarded with a donation of £600.00 for being marshals on June 13th covering the main arena and a water station out on the course. At the beginning of January 2011, we found that our charity had been awarded an additional £1000.00 from the organisers of the event! A big thank you.
Saturday 27th March 2010
The Easter Art & Craft Fayre raised £150.00 on the day and fun was had by all. A big Thank You to Lesley for organising and running this event.
The articles that were left over were sold at a Car Boot sale on the 4th April which raised a further £25.00.
"Angel Hearts" were sold at a cost of £1 per heart at the Angels Reply Public House in Bedford Road, Hitchin during February and March 2010.
Here people were invited to write a message on the heart to loved ones or in memory of a loved one which where then be displayed around the lounge area.
2009
October 2009
Waitrose Community Matters
£604 donated to the Charity by Waitrose in Hitchin. North Herts Sands was fortunate to be chosen by a Waitrose Hitchin panel to be one of three charities for September's Community Matters
scheme.
The idea being the three charities have a share of £1000 based on shoppers vote. Each visit to Waitrose gets you a green token and the shopper places it in the container to which they want their vote
/ money to go to.
Our thanks to Waitrose and everyone that contributed their green token to our charity.
On Sunday 14th June 2009
-A group representing North Herts Sands were marshals at the St Albans Half Marathon starting and finishing in Verulamium Park to raise funds for the
group.
It was a sunny day and the groups were initially place to cheer on runners ensuring that they ran the correct route for the competitve 5km before moving on to the finish line of the half marathon to
give out medals, t shirts and collect electronic tags from the runners which recorded their time.
Wednesday 2nd December 2009
was the St Albans Half Marathon presentation evening. North Herts Sands received a donation of £450.00 for being marshals.
2008
October 2008
Thank you to Rachel Hart who organised a Virgin Vie party and raised £50 for North Herts Sands.Thanks alot also to Louise Hogan and Rachel Hart who held a pub quiz at Louise’s parents’ Public House
in Greenfield, raising £130 and the collection tin based there had £73.02 in it.
8th October 2008
University Study Day In conjunction with The University of Hertfordshire, three North Herts Sands parents presented their stories of losing their babies,
the support they received and the impact it had on them, their family and friends at the ‘Supporting Bereaved Parents’ Study Day.
Much good feedback has been received from the delegates who were a group of midwives both students and qualified from hospitals covered by the group, the Lister in Stevenage and the QEII in Welwyn
Garden City as well as Milton Keynes, Watford, Barnet and Enfield.
14th June 2008
Hitchin Balloon Release and Cake Sale
The 4th awareness event held in Hitchin Market Square. For a small donation people were invited to write a message to a loved one on a tag, attach it to a balloon and then either release it or take it home. We also sold homemade cakes and SANDS merchandise. Befrienders were on the stand to offer support.
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