A special campaign will take place across Mansfield and Ashfield in October to help families who have experienced the tragedy of losing a baby — either during pregnancy, birth or shortly afterwards.

Baby Loss Awareness Week, which runs from 9th to 15th October each year, aims to try to help break the taboo surrounding baby loss.

There are 15 babies a day who die during birth or shortly afterwards — and that is why still birth and neo-natal death charity Nottinghamshire Sands has launched the special campaign, called I’m The Face Of Baby Loss.

The photographic campaign is showing the faces of 15 people who have suffered the loss of a precious baby — 15 to represent the number of babies who die each day.

Shops, business and public places across Nottinghamshire have been asked to display the photographs to help break the silence.
Nottinghamshire Sands works across the county to support families who lose a baby.

It also supports the maternity teams at King’s Mill Hospital, Sutton, and the City and QMC hospitals in Nottingham, so they are better trained to help affected families.

Many of the photos for the I’m The Face Of Baby Loss campaign were taken during a shoot in Sutton.

The chair of Nottinghamshire Sands, Maxine Hosking, said: “This is a unique project created by Nottinghamshire Sands to help break the silence about the loss of a baby at any stage.

“The response has been overwhelming and we are so pleased that individuals and families are helping to break the taboo.

“Our first photo-shoot was attended by families who experienced the loss of their baby over 40 years ago to those who have lost a baby more recently.

“The photographs are simply stunning and we know that these will raise discussions about baby loss.

“We still have opportunities for families to join with the I’m The Face Of Baby Loss campaign.

“If you are interested in this, please contact us via email — [email protected].”

Nottinghamshire Sands runs a monthly support group, Zephyrs, based at City Hospital, Nottingham.

It meets on the second Thursday of each month, from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. There is also a Nottinghamshire Sands Facebook page that is regularly updated.

The group can also be contacted at any time at [email protected]