Sands activities, events and Ribbon Displays for Baby Loss Awareness Week 2026
Sands activities, events, and Ribbon Displays bring communities together during Baby Loss Awareness Week (BLAW), 9–15 October. They offer families and friends a chance to connect, reflect, and remember.
Whether by creating a special space of remembrance, taking part in a creative or wellbeing activity, or joining others through our Sands United teams.
Each activity is a meaningful way to remember every precious baby, while ensuring that no one has to navigate their grief alone.
Find BLAW events in your community
You are invited to join a BLAW activity, event, or Ribbon Display near you.
Sands events are safe spaces where everyone is welcome to come together, remember your babies and support each other. Every event is different, some are community focused and some offer more individual quiet time for you to spend with your own thoughts in a supportive environment.
Use our map below to explore the events near you. Click on the individual icon to see more information about the event and the contact details for the organiser or information on how to attend.
Each event is organised by a wonderful supporter or volunteer, giving their time to host a special event for their community. If you have questions about an event please contact the organiser directly through the information provided to be part of their event.
If you are organising a BLAW activity, event, or Ribbon Display in support of Sands and would like to add it to our map, please complete our registration form.
What do events look like?
BLAW Football Match
A special BLAW football match, played to mark this important week and to bring players and the community together.
Awareness Raising Stand
Awareness stands take Sands to the centre of your communities. Held in supermarkets, shopping centres and fates, they highlight the importance of Sands and invite people to learn more about our work and how to get involved.
Memorial Event
BLAW memorial events are calm and safe spaces for families to come together and remember their babies. They often involve a reading, some music or a poem and lighting a candle. They may be during BLAW or specifically at for the global Wave of Light at 7pm on 15th October.
Crafting Event
Run by Sands support groups across the UK, crafting events are joyful spaces where you can get creative making something to honour your baby. You might be candle making, painting, flower arranging and much more.
Please note you will often need to register to attend as spaces will be limited and there may be a small financial contribution to take part in these.
Family Event
Run by Sands groups or teams, family events are places where whole families can come together and support each other. This might be a picnic, bubble release or family fun day. Children and loved ones are welcome.
Ribbon Run
Ribbon Run is a sponsored event that takes place on Saturday 10 October 2026.
There is the Virtual Ribbon Run which is a 5,10 or 15km run, walk or jog where thousands of people come together to remember their babies and raise funds for Sands. It's free to sign up and it's up to you how you take part. You can run it, walk it, push it, or jog it; alone or with friends and family
Ribbon Displays
These are wonderful displays of ribbons dedicated to much loved and missed babies.
Each display is organised by a different supporter or volunteer, giving their time to host, please contact them directly through the information provided on the map.
Baby Loss Awareness Week starts on 9th October and ends on the 15th October, with the global Wave of Light at 7pm local time.
Any questions?
Please do read through our FAQ's below but if you can't find the answer, you're looking for please do contact our team by emailing ribbon.displays@sands.org.uk
When are Ribbon Displays organised?
Ribbon Displays are encouraged to be organised for the duration of Baby Loss Awareness Week which is 9 - 15 October 2026. But if you can't do the full week you could organise a display for a shorter length of time to suit you! Just make this clear to those supporting you.
Where do I get the ribbons from?
Some Ribbon Displays will have their own ribbons. Please get in touch with the host of the Ribbon Display via the contact information listed on the map.
Alternatively, we have a paper ribbon template which can be printed and a ribbon knitting pattern. Alternatively, you can look to source your own physical ribbon.
You also don't have to use ribbons if you don't want to. We welcome creativity and whatever works for you. We always have a variety of different displays previously, including hearts, wood and stars.
I would like to organise my own BLAW event, activity, or Ribbon Display
If you would like to organise your own BLAW activity, event, or Ribbon Display, we're here to help. Complete our registration form to receive resources and support.