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https://bedfordshire.sands.org.uk/
We are here to support any person affected by the death of a baby. We offer one-to-one befriending, telephone support and advice as well as regular group support meetings.


We work with people in Bedfordshire and surrounding areas and all of our services are provided free of charge by local volunteers - Beds SANDS receives no funding other than by donation.

Finley's Footprints

Here's a link to a very interesting resource, 'Finley's Footprints' that offers a wide range of information and services, including Skype groups and other innovations. By way of introduction, the following is taken from the site itself:
"Finley’s Footprints was created in 2009 following the loss of Finley John Scott. Mel Scott uses her unique skills to support other parents who sadly lose a child or baby at any stage of pregnancy, or childhood. She is also able to offer services to professionals who work with the parents, and those charitable organisations who work to support them.

Finley’s footprints has several key aims.
  • To provide positive information and support to parents who have lost a child. We hope that in sharing positive information, parents will be able to begin to find a sense of peace and control in the midst of the sadness of the loss of their child.
  • To provide professionals with information about supporting parents who have lost a child in a variety of ways. This information will be shared from the unique perspective of a mother who has lost 2 children at different stages. We hope to improve the consistency of the care that parents receive after their loss, and to improve the confidence of professionals who provide support in this difficult time.
  • To provide services, and information to charities who may support parents who have lost, or will lose a child. There are many charities who provide valuable support to parents who care for a terminally ill baby/child. We would like to support them in providing after care support, and information about the aftercare that may help parents."

Please support us at Ampthill Waitrose in November!

Bedfordshire SANDS has been fortunate enough to be chosen as one of the featured charities for November at the Ampthill branch of Waitrose.
As you may know, the Waitrose 'Community Matters' scheme sees each branch donate £1000 every month to three local charities or community projects.
The proportion of the £1000 that each charity/project receives is determined by customers - when you go through the tills, you are given a token that you then place in the box assigned to the good cause you want to support.
If you happen to be passing and want to do some Christmas or other shopping in a quality store, why not drop in and lend your support to Beds SANDS?

(Click here for map)

Thank you!

Just a quick note to thank the members and friends of Beds SANDS that have used the search box on this page as a portal to Amazon.

Every time something is bought from Amazon after being found through our search box, we get a small percentage and it's beginning to add up!
As those of you who have tried it will know, shopping with Amazon via our search facility doesn't increase the price you pay or your shopping experience, so if you are going to browseon Amazon, it would be great if you'd consider doing it through the search box on this page and encourage your friends and family to do the same.
Thank you,
Beds SANDS

Wave of light 15th October 2010

Many of us will be aware of the 'wave of light', but the below image provides a succinct explanation while further information can be found from http://www.october15th.com/ as well as from other sources:

A very, very good tea

Last saturday, Sam (a great friend of Beds SANDS) held an afternoon tea at her house and raised a rather superb £265 in real money as well as a virtual £35 (+gift aid) on her justgiving page.
Despite relatively little publicity, the event was well-attended and a great success. We even have (courtesy of Sam) a few pictures to give a flavour of the day, including a couple of a very satisfied customer who managed to find a new home during the course of the day:


Well done Sam - and thank you!

Balls of Steel 2010

Balls of Steel is an intrepid group of cyclists who have just completed a marathon bike ride from Surrey to Bedfordshire with the aim of raising money for Bedfordshire SANDS, Surrey SANDS and national SANDS.

We cannot thank them enough for their courage and generosity - although their marathon ride is over, their justgiving page is still open for business!

Why 17?

Here's a link to national SANDS long-running Why 17 campaign with onward links to other, related resources.

Afternoon Tea in aid of SANDS 25th September

Sam, a great friend of Bedfordshire SANDS, is very kindly organising an afternoon tea in aid of the charity that will take place at her house in Kempston, Beds between 2.30 and 5.00 pm on Saturday 25th September 2010.
If you want to obtain further details or if you would like to donate a raffle prize (or some expertly baked (or bought!) goods) then this would be very welcome - please get in touch with us or Sam direct (via samgilbert_89@hotmail.com).
Sam even has a justgiving page: http://www.justgiving.com/Samantha-Rees

Why is there an Amazon search box on this page?

If you or your friends and family use the Amazon search box on the right of this page to buy goods, then a small percentage of the price of the items you order will be given to Bedfordshire SANDS.
As we receive no funding other than by donation, any monies we receive as a result of you shopping at Amazon through our web page will be particularly welcome - even better, using our search box won't increase the price that you have to pay at the Amazon checkout!

The Sand Rose Project

The Sand Rose Project offers free holidays for bereaved children and families from across the UK.
If you want to find out more about this project and perhaps apply for a break for you and your family, here's a link to the website.

Future Beds SANDS support group meetings


The Group is facilitated by one or more trained SANDS befrienders and provides an opportunity for parents and others to share their experiences and draw mutual support from the group.
If you have not attended before, but would like to go along, you would be very welcome - please get in touch for further location and other details.
Future meetings will take place in Silsoe and the following dates and times have been arranged:
Monday 23rd August 7.30-10.30pm
Monday 20th September 7.30-10.30pm
Monday 25th October 7.30-10.30pm
Monday 15th November 7.30-10.30pm
Monday 20th December 7.30-10.30pm

AGM Tonight!

As our recent Newsletter indicated, our Annual General Meeting takes place at 7.30pm tonight in Stewartby.
All members are very welcome and a copy of the Agenda is here.

Our Priority Projects

You may recall from recent Newsletters (and this blog) that Beds SANDS has been seeking your views in order to identify a number of priority initiatives (including one 'aspirational' project) for the next 12-18 months.

The 'feedback' from Beds SANDS members via letter, email and the ‘voting widget’ that was on this blog has been really helpful both in identifying a 'long list' of potential ideas and then choosing a smaller number to take forward.

After considering all the great ideas and ‘feedback’, the projects that Beds SANDS will focus on are as follows:

1) Maintaining the Support Group and other befriender services.

This is and always will be at the heart of what we do.

2) Supplying good quality memory boxes to Bedfordshire hospitals.

We are already in the process of ordering some excellent boxes from national SANDS.

3) Helping to furnish the bereavement suites in the county's hospitals.

We have already donated a crib and bedding to the Luton and Dunstable General Hospital – see posts below for more

details and pictures.

4) Producing a Beds SANDS ‘business card’ for health professionals.

It is intended that these cards would include a little information about SANDS in general and Beds SANDS in particular,

including contact details. The cards would be supplied to midwives and others to give to people who may need support

from SANDS.

5) Establishing a SANDS Memorial Garden within the county.

Clearly, this is a major, ‘aspirational’ project and we will need a lot of assistance from members if we are to make this a

reality.

Each of the priority projects within our portfolio is significant and very worthwhile, but the establishment of a Memorial Garden is a particularly big venture.

If you are interested in helping to progress and/or fundraise for the proposed memorial garden, then it would be really good to hear from you. Similarly, if you are aware of a venue, (preferably in central Bedfordshire) that might be suitable, then please get in touch ...

Thank you,

April Service at the Chapel, Bedford Hospital, South Wing

This Service will take place at 3.00pm on Sunday 11th April and is open to anyone who has been affected by the loss of a baby at any stage of pregnancy and after birth.
If you would like to do a reading at the service or would like to have someone else do a reading on your behalf, then please get in touch.
In order to prepare the order of service in good time, it is requested that you should send the details of any reading and dedications to bedfordshiresands@yahoo.co.uk before Wednesday 10th March 2010.

Seeing and holding your baby ** Petition Update **

Many of us will be aware that national SANDS had organised a petition as part of the process of trying to lobby the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to take a more appropriate and less literal interpretation to the guidance relating to this very personal and sensitive issue.

The good news is that SANDS' intervention has led to NICE agreeing to clarify the intended meaning of the relevant piece of guidance.

More details can be found here.

Future Beds SANDS support group meetings

Monday 22nd March 2010
Monday 19th April 2010
Monday 17th May 2010
Monday 21st June 2010
Time: 7.30-10.30pm
Venue: Silsoe, Bedfordshire MK45

Another update! Waitrose fundraising ...


Bedfordshire SANDS was one of the three charities featured in the Community Matters scheme at the Rushden branch of Waitrose in December 2009.
Despite being in 'competition' with two other very good causes, customers at the East Northants store showed great support for Beds SANDS and as a result, Waitrose will be donating £280 to our group.
Beds SANDS is very grateful to Waitrose and its customers.

Luton and Dunstable Hospital Bereavement Suite - Update

Luton and Dunstable hospital has opened a new bereavement suite.


Beds SANDS was proud to be able, thanks to funds raised by members, to donate a crib and sets of bedding to the suite in October 2009.

The image above right is of the plaque that was attached to the crib and the below photos offer a couple of views of the crib itself.