As we have reached the end of Baby Loss Awareness Week for another year, the Friends of The Baby Unit team would like to send their heartfelt love and thoughts to anyone that finds this a particularly difficult week. We recognise for parents and families that have sadly experienced baby loss that Baby Loss Awareness Week is every week of the year, the pain sadly never goes away. But we would like you to know that although our thoughts are always with you, that you and your babies have been at the forefront of our minds during this week.

To mark BLAW 2023 we placed a memory tree in the Derbion Centre where parents and families could place the name of a loved baby taken too soon to remember them.  Although we wish that there was no need for such a tree, we felt that it did look very beautiful with all of the names written on love hearts hanging from each branch. We joined families in remembering their precious babies, and at the end of the week the FOBU team each lit a candle for the Wave of Light that marks the end of Baby Loss Awareness Week.

As a charity we raise money for the Derby Neonatal Unit, which also includes the amazing work that the bereavement team do with bereaved families. During Baby Loss Awareness Week, we raised over £300, which will be used by the NICU to support those going through the hardest time of their lives.

Join Friends of the Baby Unit charity at Derbion on Saturday 8 October as part of Baby Loss Awareness Week 2022 (9th to 15th October).

Friends of the Baby Unit is proud to be holding an event encouraging people to get talking and more importantly remembering those special babies who are not with us. 

Baby Loss Awareness Week, now in its 20th year, is an opportunity for everyone in the baby loss community and beyond to come together to remember and commemorate our much-loved and missed babies.

The week also provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the impact of pregnancy and baby loss; the importance that bereavement support plays in the ongoing bereavement journey; and of the vital work that is needed to improve pregnancy outcomes and to save babies’ lives. 

Andy Blurton, Chair for Friends of the Baby Unit, said: “We hope that our event at the Derbion will give local bereaved parents and families an opportunity to reflect on their loss.”

This year Baby Loss Awareness Week will be exploring the theme of Stepping Stones and how someone whose baby has died finds themselves on a new path they never expected to be on.

Laura Mason, Trustee for Friends of the Baby Uni and a bereaved Mum said:

“The event at Derbion is a chance for people to come together to remember those babies taken too soon. 

“A baby lost at any age is devastating, and we want to come together especially during baby loss awareness week to show our support to those that have suffered a tragic loss. We are encouraging people to come and remember their baby by writing their name on a butterfly and hanging it on a memory tree. We want people to know that their babies are never forgotten.”

Baby Loss Awareness Week is recognised across the world and culminates with the “Wave of Light” on 15 October. This is a special time when people across the world light a candle at 7pm local time and leave it burning to remember all babies that have died too soon. 

Visit www.babyloss-awareness.org to find out how you can get involved. 

-Ends-

Contact information

For further information, please contact Raj Todd

For further information about Baby Loss Awareness Week email: babyloss@sands.org.uk

Notes to editors

• Friends of the Baby Unit will be at the Derbion on Saturday 8 October

To find out more about Friends of the Baby Unit visit: https://www.fobuderby.co.uk 

About Baby Loss Awareness Week

Baby Loss Awareness Week runs from 9th to 15th October every year and is an opportunity for those affected by pregnancy and baby loss and their families and friends to unite with others across the world to commemorate their babies’ lives and lost pregnancies.

The charities leading Baby Loss Awareness Week are committed to raising awareness of pregnancy and baby loss in the UK and providing support to anyone affected. By working with health professionals and other organisations, the week aims to drive for improvements in bereavement care and support, and to reduce the incidence of pregnancy and baby loss.

For more information, visit: www.babyloss-awareness.org

The Friends of the Baby Unit are gearing up for a night to remember with The Chase star, Shaun Wallace at Derby Cricket Ground this October.

The annual fundraiser for the charity this year, takes place with the quiz master star Shaun Wallace.

Shaun Wallace who is best known for his role on ITV hit show, and hosted by Bradley Walsh. Contestants play against a professional quizzer, known as the "chaser”, who attempts to prevent them from winning a cash prize. Shaun also juggles being a full-time barrister alongside his role on the ITV quiz show.

Shaun Wallace said:

“I am looking forward to hosting an evening with local people from Derby to support such an important charity who do great work for premature babies.”

The charity was founded by Kate Repton who is very much involved in the work of the charity and is pleased to be able to have such a great star to help raise vital funds for the neonatal unit at Royal Derby Hospital.

“I am really pleased that Shaun is supporting us this year to help raise money for life-saving equipment for the unit and those special babies who stay at Royal Derby Hospital.

“I am hoping that local people will come and attend our event and give what they can. Every bit really does help and goes straight to those special miracles.”

Friends of the Baby Unit Derby have been supporting the Derby Neonatal unit, who care for premature and sick babies, for over 46 years. From providing essential equipment like incubators to the unit itself, to providing wellbeing support and guidance to parents.

Andy Blurton, Chair for Friends of the Baby Unit continues to take the charity from strength to strength by finding new ways to fundraise. 

He said:

“We are a small but mighty local Derby charity and every penny raised goes straight to the babies that need it most.

“Like many other charities we have had a tricky two years with the pandemic but we plan to make this event even more of a success and but need our local communities to come out and support us.”

The evening promises to be a fun-filled event with a quiz, food and a disco, so don’t miss your chance to get involved. 

For more information and more importantly to book your tickets call: 07974 690 777 or email:info@fobuderby.co.uk

We are pleased to announce that our annual fundraising event has been confirmed and will take place on Saturday 22 October at 7:30pm at Derbyshire Cricket Ground.

For more information and more importantly to book your tickets call: 07974 690 777 or email: info@fobuderby.co.uk

We have made it even easier to donate to our charity, we have added a special list on Amazon. Our current list includes essential items that staff at the unit always need. These items are important things like blankets, muslin cloths and those much-needed snacks for staff.

We will be regularly updating it, so keep it handy! Have a look and get adding to your basket! Visit Amazon

We are pleased to show you our latest project, the breastfeeding room at the unit has had an some of our TLC. Colleagues at the unit have worked closely with us to revamp it and make it feel like a home-from-home look and feel. We know it can be a challenging time and we want all those lovely parents to have what they need to make their life that little bit easier.

I am sure you will agree, it looks inviting and ready to be used!

At their latest meeting, Derby Rotary Club presented our Chair and Trustee members with a cheque for £3000. They heard all about the wonderful work we do for those special babies along with supporting the NHS. Seen here are John Cheadle, Ange Harding, John Beswarick, Kate Repton, Andy Blurton, Tim Wherly and Andrew Plant. The funds were raised from the Santa Sleigh and the sale of Christmas trees

Give the gift of life this Christmas It's not too early to think about Christmas! This year, instead of cards or gifts, why not donate to the special babies in the unit who are the biggest gift.

Local Derby charity, Friends of The Baby Unit is turning the modest age of 45 on 24 July. The Friends of the Baby Unit also fondly known as FOBU is the charity linked to supporting the neonatal unit at Royal Derby Hospital.