This festive season we're asking you to give the gift of support.
The death of a loved and much wanted baby is devastating at any time of the year, but perhaps even more so at Christmas. With so much focus on celebration and preparation, the thought of Christmas can be anything but a celebration for anyone whose baby has died.
Every year we ensure the Sands Helpline and other support resources are available to anyone affected by baby loss throughout this time, by running extended open hours.
See below how you can get involved with your friends, family and colleagues and fundraise for Sands this winter.
You will be helping to make a difference to the lives of bereaved parents and families, ensuring the support they need is available when they may need it the most.
Hearth of Hope
Thank you for choosing to give the Gift of Support and dedicate a specially designed stocking on our Hearth of Hope this December.
Every stocking represents someone very special and each donation made in their honour will be extra special because it will also help provide bereavement support to those who need it this Christmas.
There are two ways you can choose to give your Gift of Support to Sands. In both cases, when you dedicate a stocking with your donation, a member of the Sands staff team will carefully write your loved ones name and hang your stocking on our specially created fireplace in memory or celebration of your loved one.
When bereaved families need our support more than ever, you will help to ensure that our bereavement support services will remain available to anyone that needs them this winter.
If you'd prefer not to give online, you can call Mike on 0203 908 5525 who will be able to help take your donation over the phone.
Thank you for giving the Gift of Support.
Learn more about the impact your donation will help to make.
Mistletoe Memory Walk
Organise your own Mistletoe Memory Walk
Walk to remember this December and with every step you will be helping Sands to provide bereavement support services, improve bereavement care and fund research to help save babies’ lives.
It doesn't matter what distance or where you walk or whether you walk with friends and family, work colleagues, your local Sands group or alone. By walking to remember you’ll be joining our community and walking as one this festive season.
Together we will make a difference to other bereaved families this winter.
Find out more about Mistletoe Memory Walk
Snowflake Bake Sale
Organise a Snowflake Bake this Christmas!
Support Sands this Christmas and get everyone involved. You can host your Snowflake Bake Sale at home, school, work or your local village hall. Simple!
Raise awareness in your community and raise money for Sands whilst enjoying a festive treat this December. Find out more here
Winter Wishes
For many families that have experienced baby loss, the count down to this time of year can be especially difficult. While nothing will ever stop this being an incredibly difficult time for any bereaved parent, or anyone who has been affected by baby loss, sometimes the act of doing something in memory can help enormously.
Joining together with others, sharing a common unspoken bond, whether in person or virtually can be incredibly positive and helpful.
We have created Winter Wishes for you to do just that. Find out more by heading to our Winter Wishes webpage
Christmas Shop
You can buy your Christmas cards and gift wrap at our Christmas shop. We've also launched our beautiful new Sands Always Loved Never Forgotten star hanging ornament so head to the shop now and support Sands this Christmas.
Lights of Love
Our annual Lights of Love services are held in December at venues across the UK. The services are family friendly evenings of traditional carols, reading and musical performances. All services are free to attend, there is no need to book and you do not need a ticket.
Lights of Love events are run by our brilliant volunteers and we rely on their goodwill and support to hold services across the UK. This does mean that in some areas there may not be a service close to you.
You can also get in touch with your local Sands Group, who will be able to help with Christmas events in their area.
For more information about our Lights of Love services, head to our Lights of Love website by clicking here
Coping at Christmas
Our ambassador, Malin Andersson has created this video to help anyone that is going through baby loss at Christmas. Watch below and discover the support available, ways to look after yourself or help a bereaved parent this festive season.
Bereaved mother, Kim Ludlow, from St Neots, Cambridgeshire is supporting our Christmas Appeal this year and has shared her story about baby son, Bruce, who died on the 15th December 2003.
"I’m supporting Sands this Christmas because I know at this time of the year bereaved parents like me think about their babies more when their families come together. I miss Bruce and my father more when surrounded by family as we talk about those loved ones we have lost.
I know that not everybody receives the support they need at this time or even know that charities like Sands exist to provide vital help and support. I would like to encourage you to support Sands’ Christmas Appeal... Without your help, Sands simply wouldn’t be able to extend their Freephone Helpline opening hours and provide other support services for parents and families during the festive season."
Read the full story
Make a donation today and give the Gift of Support. Your generosity will help us make such a difference to the lives of bereaved families and ensure that support is available to anyone who needs it this festive season.
If you have been affected by Kim’s story or need bereavement support, call the Sands Freephone Helpline on 0808 164 3332, email: helpline@sands.org.uk or visit our support page