Support, Advice and Resources for Bereaved Parents and Families
South Devon Baby Loss Support Group (SANDS) Devon UK
tel: ++(0)7811 412271
South Devon Baby Loss Support Group has now been meeting monthly on a Thursday since March 2001. We meet at 7.45pm at a room in The Arcturus Clinic in Totnes, Devon. The meetings usually go on till 9.30-10pm depending on who is there and how it goes. The group is made up of and open to bereaved parents and grandparents whose babies have died – stillbirth, during delivery or after and is open to anyone who has been through this experience at any time in their lives. It includes people at many stages of grieving, not just the newly bereaved. People have come who have lost their babies at 22 weeks of pregnancy and others at 9 months old, for some it has been 40 years and for others just a few days. There is no right time to come to the group. It is there whenever it is needed, whether it is for one meeting or regularly or occasionally.
The group is part of SANDS (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society). A national charity, who operate throughout the UK, supporting anyone affected by the death of a baby, working to improve the care bereaved parents receive, and promoting research to reduce the loss of babies’ lives.
The impetus to start the group came from Becci Eriksson, who lost her son Oskar at birth in June 1999.
We begin each meeting with the lighting of a candle. Each person has some uninterrupted time to speak (or just to sit in silence) and then we all spend a moment thinking of their baby. After this there is time to talk more generally to each other or to respond to things that have come up.
Every meeting is special and amazing. Although each story is different, there is a huge amount of understanding in the group. Hearing other people’s experience of the grieving process can help to make sense of what you are going through. People often speak beautifully about their babies and experiences and we often laugh as well as cry. The informal meetings provide a space to remember our babies and share our stories and feelings in a safe, confidential and supportive environment that can help us cope the rest of the time.
The group has compiled an information pack, including advice, contacts and a reading list which is available free of charge.
We have a mobile telephone for support, befriending and advice that we share amongst the group. For the date of the next meeting please ring tel:07811 412271
