A CHARITY that helps grieving parents has been given a financial boost from a housebuilder.
Footprints Baby Loss Twin and Triplet Support received £1,500 from Barratt David Wilson Southern Counties. The money will provide support for parents and families who have experienced the death of one or more of their twins or triplets before, during or after birth.
The recently launched charity will use the funds to help provide a support network and safe space for families in need of its service.
Sharon Darke and Suzie Scofield founded the charity based on their own experiences of twin and triplet loss. It aims to offer an inclusive approach to bereavement services and provides a community network for parents.
With the help of 40 volunteers, it provides three main types of support, including a peer-to-peer befriending system, online support groups and a virtual Facebook community where parents come together in a safe, non-judgmental space to ask questions and remember their children with others.
Footprint’s Baby Loss also proactively reaches out to hospitals and healthcare professionals, to ensure they are aware of its services and can refer parents in need.
The donation comes from The Barratt Foundation, the housebuilder’s charity partnership, which supports children, young people and disadvantaged groups wherever Barratt Developments PLC, of which Barratt David Wilson Southern is a part of, operates across the UK.
Ms Darke said: “Myself and Suzie met when I was her befriender after her twin boys Rory and Daniel died.
“We soon became friends before working together at another charity.
“The support we were able to provide for each other and other bereaved families inspired us to create Footprint’s Baby Loss, to give parents that same support network as a charity run by bereaved parents, for bereaved parents.
“As a new charity, the donation from Barratt David Wilson Southern Counties will enable us to provide these essential services for more families across the UK.”
Alex Dowling, head of sales and marketing at Barratt David Wilson Southern Counties, said: “We are proud to support such an important charity that provides incredible services for parents and families facing bereavement. The work Sharon and Suzie have done so far is admirable and we hope the donation will benefit and grow the great community they are creating.”
To find out more about Footprint’s Baby Loss log on to: http://www.footprintsbabyloss.org
