Here at Sands, it’s all about recognising and amplifying the activity and impact that Sands volunteers are making.
Volunteers Week is a national week of celebration for all volunteers up and down the country, it runs from the 3rd – 9th June.
It’s a celebration of everything that Sands volunteers do to be there for bereaved families and create a community for everyone who is touched by pregnancy and baby loss.
Volunteers are truly at the heart of Sands, they deliver support groups, run Sands United Teams, build relationships and share important resources with hospitals and maternity staff, speak at training events, knit or crochet blankets for memory boxes, cheer at challenge events, and that’s just scratching the surface of the way Sands volunteers make an impact.
To make sure we give Sands volunteers a big thank you we’ve created something new and special for them.
We’ve crafted a beautiful thank you postcard and pin badge and sent it to every volunteer. We hope they are able to wear proudly knowing that they are part of the UK wide community of volunteers.
Throughout Volunteers Week we are also highlighting the voices and experiences of our volunteers, in celebration of them and their impact.
You can read more about their experiences below.
Anne Edwards, Bereaved Mum and Stockport Sands Chair
“I volunteer for my son, Vaughn - which means Little in Welsh - who I lost in 2018. Volunteering for Sands is my way to be his Mum.”
Geoff Davies, Bereaved Dad and Sands Befriender
“What I’ve found is that through volunteering as a Befriender, I have been able to work through my own grief, some of which I hadn’t acknowledged fully until I started to co-facilitate the national online support meetings specifically for men.”
Kate Breen, Bereaved Mum and Sands Volunteer
“We have taken a derelict plot of land on an allotment site, with waist high weeds and so many stones, and turned it into a beautiful and creative space for families.”
Martin Euden, Bereaved Grandpa and Sands Knitter
“I find knitting provides a quiet, contemplative space where I can share the love I have for Myah and my family into each stitch.”
Sarah Green, Bereaved Mum and Norfolk Sands Co-chair
“I didn’t want to see other parents go through the same isolating experience that I did.”
Vikas Jain, Bereaved Dad and Befriender and Hospital Liaison Volunteer
“I think it’s so important for employers to know that the person returning to work is no longer the same person.”
This Volunteers Week, we’re celebrating every volunteer for everything they bring as part of Sands. We couldn’t be more grateful to have such a passionate and caring community of volunteers.
If you are interested in joining Sands as a volunteer, please take a look at the current opportunities we have on offer.
Remember, Sands is always here to support you.