A cheque for £1,000 was presented to Chris Taylor, Head of Fundraising and Communications at Sands (Stillbirth & neonatal death charity) on Saturday by Hitchin Town Football Club chairman, Terry Barratt.

A bucket collection took place at Hitchin’s Top Field stadium before their 2-0 win versus Kings Langley earlier this month, and approximately half of the funds (£480) was raised by their brilliant fans.  A further £100 and £120 was added by the Hitchin Town Supporters Club and the football club respectively.

Prestige used car dealer and club sponsor, Mastercars Hitchin, heard about the collection for Sands and decided to generously donate £300 to increase the total to a fantastic £1,000.

Dr Clea Harmer, Chief Executive at Sands, said: “We’d like to say a big thank you to everyone at Hitchin Town Football Club for allowing us to collect donations at their match against Kings Langley. The funds raised will allow us to support parents whose babies have been stillborn or have died neonatally.

“As a charity we rely on the wonderful generosity of our supporters to continue our work. Sands operates throughout the UK supporting anyone affected by the death of a baby and promotes research to reduce the loss of babies’ lives.”

Hitchin Town FC contacted Sands after a player on their books and on loan to Codicote FC, sent malicious tweets to Bournemouth Football Club player Harry Arter, about his daughter who was stillborn in 2015. The player was immediately sacked by both clubs and subsequently suspended for seven months by the Football Association.  

For further information about fundraising for Sands, visit: www.sands.org.uk/get-involved/fundraising  or email: fundraising@uk-sands.org

Notes to editors

For further information, please contact Lee Armitt, Press and PR Officer in the Sands press office on 0203 598 1959/07587 925411 or media@uk-sands.org

Picture by Peter Else. 

About Sands

Sands is the leading stillbirth and neonatal death charity in the UK. They work nationally to reduce baby deaths through promoting better maternity care and funding research. They have a programme of training and a wide range of resources designed to support professionals to improve the bereavement care they provide following the death of a baby, and they provide a comprehensive bereavement support service both nationally through their helpline and locally through around 100 regional support groups based across the UK. Further information can be found at www.sands.org.uk