Dusk walk to support bereaved South Tyneside families through child loss planned

Families who have experienced the loss of a baby or child have been invited to gather together for a dusk vigil run by South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust.

The Forever Cherished Walk of Light will offer people the chance to reflect on their loss and is being held as part of Baby Loss Awareness Week.

The walk will be held on Tuesday 10 October at Penshaw Monument.

People are welcome to gather at the bottom of the hill ready to set off to its summit at 5pm.

They will be able to collect a lantern or take along their own to use as part of the slow procession to the monument.

The monument will be lit up in pink and blue in support of the week.

The walk will be led by Lead Bereavement Midwife Charlotte Mutton, who has been specially trained to support families who have experienced baby loss.

There will be music and readings during the reflection service.

On the return to the foot of the hill, people will be able to add their baby’s name onto a wooden heart.

This will then be hung on a tree and put on display in the maternity unit at Sunderland Royal Hospital.

Charlotte said: “This will be a real opportunity to bring people together to share and reflect on the loss of their baby or child.

“It’s really about giving people that chance to have a shared space after they’ve had that experience and know that they are still being supported by our service over the years.”

Refreshments will be available at the event, which is expected to come to a close around 6.30pm.

Donations will also be collected for the Forever Cherished service to help fund its future work.

More details about the Forever Cherished Service and other support available to those who have lost a baby can be found via https://www.stsft.nhs.uk/services/maternity-new/maternal- mental-health-birth-reflection-and-bereavement-services/bereavement-services