Abigail's Footsteps

💜 Meet Claire.

💜 Claire has set herself a big challenge for 2025, raising funds and awareness for Abigail’s Footsteps in memory of baby Albie.

💜 Claire said “In 2025, I've decided to take on the Cambridge Half Marathon, Valetta Marathon in Malta and London Landmarks Half all within a month (8th March, 23rd March and 6th April). My friend, Anna will also be joining me and will be running the Valetta Marathon as well as travelling to the UK to take part in the London Landmarks Half along with her husband Radoslaw. We've decided as a team to run all of these in memory of Albie and raise money for Abigail's Footsteps. With the money raised I'm hoping they can fund another cold cot in Albie's memory.”

💜 Albie’s parents, Holly and Lee said "In July 2023, we were getting ourselves prepared to welcome our baby boy Albie to the world and introduce him to two very excited big sisters. Without the use of the Abi Cold Cot, we wouldn't have been able to spend three nights that we will cherish forever with Albie.”

💜 You can support Claire’s fundraising by using this link:
https://www.justgiving.com/team/abigails-runs-2025

💜Thank you to our GOLD sponsors of the Abigail's Charity Gala on Saturday 23rd November.

💜We are looking forward to welcoming Colin Jarvis from MEMS Power Generation
https://www.mems.com/

💜And Joe and Greg Webb from M S Webb.
https://www.mswebb.co.uk/

💜We appreciate your continued support.

💜Take a look at the items available in our online auction and place your bids here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/abigailsfootstepsgala2024

💜Auction closes at 11pm on Saturday 23rd November.

💜In less than a months' time, Andy Purvis and Tim Cox (Oar Mighty Mates) are going to row a staggering 3,000 miles in the World’s Toughest Row Atlantic Challenge raising funds for Abigail’s Footsteps.

💜Andy said “With less than 30 days to go to the start of the World's Toughest Row 2024 we are experiencing a distinct mix of emotions. Whilst the training and preparation have gone really well, both Tim and myself are excited to get started but at the same time the enormity of the challenge grows ever stronger.”

💜Support their fundraising here:
https://www.justgiving.com/page/andrew-purvis-1711636219485

💜You can hear Andy talking alongside other fundraisers in the Abigail’s Podcasts here:
https://www.abigailsfootsteps.co.uk/a_journey_with.../

💜Thank you to wienerberger UK for their kind donation of £250.

💜This will fund one family through our Abigail's specialist bereavement counselling.

💜 Meet Anna and Dom.

💜 They visited the Princess Alexandra NHS Trust to officially hand over the cot they donated in baby Archie’s memory.

💜Anna and Dom said “We had a lovely visit to the Princess Alexandra hospital visiting the cooling cot we donated in Archie's name and installing the plaque.
With the help of our families, we feel very proud to have donated an Abi Cooling cot to Princess Alexandra hospital, in memory of our first baby, Archie.
Although short, the time we spent with Archie was more precious than can be described. In many ways we feel fortunate that we were able to hold, cuddle and share our love him before he passed. At just 505g Archie showed us that sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart. Whilst we wish it weren't necessary, we can find comfort knowing that this cot will allow other families time to create similar memories with their little ones, memories that they will cherish forever. It was a pleasure to meet Rebecca and it is clear that families in need will be well cared for by the bereavement team at Princess Alexandra hospital. We are incredibly grateful to Abigail's footsteps and Naomi for helping us navigate through this new period of our lives as first time parents, and we are glad to be able to support such an essential charity.”

💜 Rebecca Fowle, Specialist Bereavement Midwife at the Princess Alexandra said, “The Abi cot donation from Anna and Dom means that we can offer our bereaved families the gift of time with their baby. They can have their baby in the Abi cot next to them in the bereavement suite whilst simultaneously helping to preserve their baby's skin and appearance, and this gives them time to create as many memories with their baby, which we know is so precious and can be life changing.”

💜DRAGONBOAT RACE 2025

💜The date has just been announced for the Dragonboat Festival at Bewl Water - SATURDAY 30TH AUGUST.

💜Dragon Boat Racing is one of the most exciting and inclusive water sports.

💜Email mailto:[email protected] to enter your team.

💜Meet Ann.

💜Ann has donated an Abi Cooling Cot to the Royal Surrey NHS Trust in memory of her brother, Alan Witt.

💜Ann said “When I was about 10 I found a small card among some papers in a drawer. The card was from a cemetery and written on it was Baby Witt, plot number and the month and year. This is the only record of my brother Alan. I have always felt incredibly sorry for the way my parents were not supported and grieved in silence but I'm also extremely sad that there is no record of my brother's existence, not even his name and date of birth on his cemetery card.”

💜Ann continued “Earlier this year my daughter's friend experienced a still birth and was able to spend time with her daughter thanks to the availability of a cooling cot and bereavement suite. I'm sure there is more that can and should be done to support new parents in this situation and I am pleased that things are better than they were. After researching cooling cots, I felt that a donation towards a cot would be a fitting tribute to my parents and my brother Alan and the fact that I can dedicate the cot by way of a plaque would be a way of acknowledging Alan was part of my family. I really wanted to do this as a small way of supporting other parents at such a difficult time.”

💜The online auction for the Abigail's Annual Charity Gala on November 23rd opens TODAY!

💜Take a look at the items available and place your bids here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/abigailsfootstepsgala2024

💜Auction closes at 11pm on Saturday 23rd November.

💜Thank you very much to Liberty Speciality Markets who raised £300 during Baby Loss Awareness Week.

💜This will fund one family through our Abigail's specialist bereavement counselling.

💜Thank you to everyone who donated.

💜It was great to film our cot liner instructional video with Mel Forrest today.

💜Thank you Mel - http://mintbutton.co.uk

💜Mel said “Making a cot liner is a really quick and simple project and I would encourage anyone in the sewing community to use their skills to support Abigail’s Footsteps.”

💜Without volunteers for this project, we won’t be able to supply our cot liners to be used in the Abi Cooling Cots placed in hospitals, hospices and funeral homes across the country.

💜Could you volunteer to sew some liners? Could you share our pattern?

💜Here is a link to the cot liner pattern:https://www.abigailsfootsteps.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Abigails-cot-liner-pattern.pdf

💜We will share the edited video soon.

💜We welcome the news that baby loss certificates are now going to be available to anyone in England who would like one.

💜Use this link to request your certificate:
https://www.gov.uk/request-baby-loss-certificate

💜Satveer and Shanghara Binning held a firework display to remember their daughter Siaan.

💜Satveer and Shanghara said "Fireworks have played a monumental role in honouring our baby Siaan. We often planned that the day she arrives home her daddy would light our home with fireworks in celebration of Siaan. Since delivering Siaan stillborn on 16 October 2023, we have marked the 16th of each month by lighting fireworks in her honour. They bring us peace and happiness and we love lighting up the sky in Siaan’s honour."

💜 This week is , a time for us to celebrate all the amazing trustees across the UK.

💜 We are very excited to announce Karen McIntyre as our newest Trustee at Abigail’s Footsteps.

💜Karen said "Having been a midwife for more than 36 years and held many senior clinical roles I have seen first hand the support and care that Abigail’s gives to families at such a sad and vulnerable time. This inspired me to be a trustee for the charity so that more families can be supported when they need it."

💜 We would like to thank all our Trustees for the time, commitment and effort they bring to our charity.

💜 Read more about our Trustees here:
https://www.abigailsfootsteps.co.uk/about/our-people/

💜 Do you want to take on a challenge and support the work of Abigail's Footsteps?

💜 Look at our fundraising events here:
https://www.abigailsfootsteps.co.uk/fundraising-events/

💜 Or you can plan your own event. Email mailto:[email protected] for fundraising information.

💜On the first day of November, we are remembering all November babies - their due dates, birthdays and any anniversaries.

💜If November has a date that is special to you and your family, then we are sending love and support to you.

💜Please share their names in the comments

💜 Meet Carly and Jack.

💜 Their daughter, Freyja June Higgs was born sleeping at 25 weeks gestation, in April 2024.

💜 Carly said “Freyja is our first baby, and the first grandchild and niece on both sides of our family. The excitement to meet her was huge, and sadly although her grandparents got the chance, her many aunties and uncles never did. Her passing was a complete shock after an otherwise low-risk and uneventful pregnancy. The cooling cot gifted to the hospital where Freyja was born meant we got to spend two days with her, making memories that have carried us through some very tough times since.”

💜Freyja’s friends and family are taking part in many different challenges to raise enough to gift a cooling cot to Luton hospital. One fundraising challenge is to run 30km in the month of October.

💜Carly said “This cot will have a direct impact on many future families that go through the life changing tragedy of losing a baby. Any money we raise beyond our £3000 target will go towards more cots, and the other amazing work the charity do with bereavement training for midwives and support for families.”

💜 You can contribute to the family’s fundraising here:
https://www.justgiving.com/page/freyjajunehiggs?newPage=true

💜Join our FREE art workshop.

💜 To find out more details and book, use this link:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/walk-in-our-shoes-in-person-creative-workshop-for-bereaved-parents18-tickets-1058569011409

Willow’s Rainbow Box

'Walk in our shoes' - In Person Creative Workshop For Bereaved Parents(18+) Join us at this creative workshop where bereaved parents can creatively express their feelings and memories.

💜 We are constantly impressed by the fundraising events held by our supporters.

💜 Abigail's Ambassador, Tom Gower held another successful Darts tournament in memory of his son Oliver, raising funds for Abigail’s Footsteps.

💜 Tom and Jayne Gower said “We recently held our 6th annual Oliver Darts Cup where we had 45 men, and 17 ladies compete. We raised a record amount of £1, 629.42 which is credit to everyone involved. Jayne and I are so thankful for the continued support from our family and friends, raising money in Oliver’s name for Abigail’s Footsteps.”

💜 Thank you to Tom and Jayne and everyone involved in this event.

💜 Email mailto:[email protected] if you need any support with your event.