• Volunteer's Name: Charlotte Coombs
• Current role: Chair & Befriender of Bristol Sands
• Details of previous role(s)/activities: General committee member 

“Charlotte works tirelessly for Sands often juggling several projects at once whilst supporting the group’s large committee in the busiest group in the South West.” - says Jo Anderson, South West Coordinator, Sands

Note from Charlotte:

"My inspiration for all that I do for Sands is my daughter, Elizabeth. She was our first and very much longed for baby, who was sadly stillborn in March 2012. Her loss has left a huge hole in our lives and coping with life without her can, at times, simply be unbearable. But the work I'm able to do to help other families like ours, is a tremendously positive way to remember her. It's her legacy and means that although her life was so very short, I can ensure that she will be able to make an impact in this world. Like most mums, I'm very proud of my daughter and I love to talk about her, but often find that others are too uncomfortable or fear mentioning her in case they upset me, when in fact the opposite is often true. I wish people knew how much it warmed my heart when they ask about her, just to hear her name spoken aloud means so much to me."

Sands is marking its 40th anniversary this year and we would like to say thank you for the incredible support and contribution that our dedicated volunteers make across the UK to support bereaved parents and anyone affected by the death of a baby. We will host an awards ceremony during the Sands 40th Anniversary Conference to celebrate the wide range of volunteering involvement in Sands and acknowledge 40 volunteers for their dedication and commitment. 

Volunteer nominations for 2018 are open and we invite you to nominate individuals or teams of volunteers. Please contact lorna.delayahu@sands.org.ukto find out more and to make your nomination.