In 2005 Frances and Robert’s daughter, Pippa, was stillborn. At the time there wasn’t a Sands group local to her, but in 2012 Frances was introduced to another bereaved mother who asked her to go along to the newly formed Bath Sands support group with her.

In 2019, Portsmouth and Chichester Sands decided to do something a little different to support bereaved families. They formed the first Sands Choir – Voices of Sands.

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.

Asiya has been a Parent Speaker and Hospital Liaison Volunteer for almost five years. She spoke to Sands for Volunteers Week about what volunteering means to her and how representation can make such a difference to bereaved families.

Alan is a volunteer for Sands United FC Larne. This Volunteers' Week he shares more about why he became involved with Sands United and why he’s so proud to be part of a football community that helps with people’s healing.

A year and a half ago Lucy and her wife Lydia started their IVF journey. Since then they have experienced three miscarriages. Lucy shares how talking about their multiple miscarriages has massively helped them to process how they feel and opened up conversations with others. She also shares why she and Lydia decided to take on the Great West Run, a half marathon in Exeter, for Sands, with Lucy wearing a weighted 20kg backpack and her full Army gear during the challenge.

Emily shares how she experienced three miscarriages and an ectopic pregnancy in the space of nine/ten months. She felt so lonely and wishes she knew about the charities available for support at the time. Emily also shares how in November 2025 she gave birth to her rainbow baby Louie and wants to remind others never to give up hope.

Lilly shares how from the first day her son Harvey was born she knew something was wrong but that his symptoms were dismissed as her being a 'first time paranoid mother.' Harvey passed away at 23 days old from heart disease and Strep A sepsis.