To mark Volunteers' Week, Camilla shares how the Sands community supported her after her daughter Grace died during birth 16 years ago and reflects on the Sands run club she and other volunteers have set up in Glasgow.

“I became involved with Sands after my first pregnancy. My daughter Grace died during birth and at the hospital I was given a Sands memory box with her handprints and footprints in it, along with some information about Sands. I knew about Sands from my own work as a Clinical Psychologist, but I’d never accessed their support before.

"Their information was hugely helpful, and it helped my family too because they didn't know what to do or what to say. It helped my sister tell her children about Grace and my mum as a grandparent.

“My husband Josie and I both went on to attend local monthly Sands meetings as well, and I can’t imagine where we would have been without the support of Sands, it was massive. I took my mum to one meeting too which really helped."

Connecting with other parents who’d had similar experiences was crucial.

“Once you join the parenting club that nobody wants to be a part of, being with other bereaved parents means that you don’t have to explain or defend or help other people feel okay. At Sands meetings I could just talk about my daughter in a way that was helpful for me."

Running, Sands. and Grace have always been intertwined.

“I never exercised at all prior to having Grace, I hated it but after Grace died, I ran the half marathon in Glasgow, and a group of about 20 family and friends all did a 10K race that year as well for Grace and for Sands and that kind of kicked me off as a runner. So, I always say Grace made me a mum and made me a runner - she’s some girl!

“In 2019, Grace would have turned 10 and I was 40 so I decided to run the Berlin Marathon, my one and only marathon, to raise money for Sands. After that, I knew I’d never do a marathon again and I didn't want to keep fundraising, but I also didn't want to stop my connection with Sands.

“At the beginning of 2020, following Grace’s anniversary in January, I was thinking 'how do I keep doing something in her memory and keep a connection with Sands?' That’s when I had the idea of setting up a Sands run club. Covid then hit but with the support of Lesley Ann, a Befriender with Glasgow Sands, I started the run club after COVID-19."

The Sands Glasgow Run Club allows people to connect in a different way to a support group.

“I was keen to start the run club because, 16 years on from Grace’s death I wouldn't go to Sands meetings now, but that doesn't mean that I don't want to have a space for Grace and a space to connect with other parents. The run club provides that space.

“We link closely with Glasgow Sands group so the people who come along get that same connection but in a different way. Some people who come to run club haven't ever gone to a Sands meeting, because that's not for them so I like that we can offer an alternative way to support them. There are mental health benefits to running too, and it provides a lot for different people at different stages of loss.

“There was a recent run where a bereaved mum came along with a group of people from her gym who were all there to support her. That was hugely powerful. Another time, a girl I know contacted me as her baby would have been turning 18 and she wanted to come and do a run to mark that. It felt really good to offer her the chance to do that, and we’ve started doing a monthly run in memory of babies too. We don’t organise the run club in a particular way so that means people can use it in a way that they want to."

I’m really passionate about volunteering for Sands and having a presence within Glasgow.

“And I hope the Sands Glasgow Run Club continues to grow. I want everyone to know they’re welcome. There’s lots of mums who tend to come but it would also be lovely to see dads, grandparents, aunts and uncles."

If you or someone you know would be interested in getting involved with the Sands Glasgow Run Club, please visit: www.instagram.com/sandsrunclub_glasgow/ or www.facebook.com/sandsrunclubglasgow