Supporting families experiencing baby loss
Our vision for the Maternity Bereavement Appeal is to ensure everyone affected by miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death, who is cared for by CHFT, receives the support they need in an environment that’s right for them.
Why this appeal matters:
"We know that our current bereavement facilities don't support families in the best way possible and we need to change that." - Sarah Hall, Specialist Bereavement Midwife.
Donate today to show your support for local bereaved families across Calderdale and Kirklees.
Our aim is to raise £500,000 to transform bereavement care for families experiencing baby loss across Calderdale and Huddersfield.
With your support, we will:
- Create a dedicated Maternity Bereavement Suite at Calderdale Royal Hospital – a comfortable, self-contained, home-from-home environment where families experiencing a late term loss, stillbirth or neonatal death can spend precious time together in privacy and dignity. This is the first stage of our appeal and requires £300,000 of funding.
- Enhance family support within the Early Pregnancy Unit by transforming an existing room into a welcoming and compassionate space for families experiencing early miscarriage, providing privacy and comfort during an incredibly difficult time.
- Provide ongoing bereavement support resources including dignity packs, care packs, memory-making resources and other specialist items that help families create lasting memories and feel supported throughout their bereavement journey.
"It's important for families to have the opportunity to make memories with their baby, as this is the only thing they leave the hospital with." – Natalie, bereaved parent
Current suite
Our current Maternity Bereavement Room is located within the busy Labour Ward at Calderdale Royal Hospital. With no natural daylight and limited space for families to spend precious time together, it is not the peaceful, private environment that bereaved families need to meet their baby, create lasting memories, and begin to come to terms with their loss.
New Suite
The appeal will transform the existing Antenatal Day Unit into a dedicated, self-contained bereavement suite for families experiencing baby loss. Designed to feel more like a home than a hospital room, the suite will include an en-suite bathroom, kitchenette, overnight facilities for partners, space for extended family members, homely furnishings, and much more, providing comfort, privacy and dignity when it is needed most.
"By donating to the appeal, you will truly be making the biggest difference to local families throughout the most traumatic time. This appeal reflects the very purpose and mission of CHFT Charity and we believe that we can achieve this goal by coming together to support local families." - Emma Kovaleski, Head of Charity and Volunteering Services.
Your help, big or small, will make a huge difference
- £10 could help fund moulding kits to make 3D casts of baby's hands and feet.
- £20 could help fund a maternity dignity pack that includes items for families staying overnight with their baby.
- £50 could help fund a months supply of tea, coffee, biscuits etc to make a stay more comfortable.
- £100 could help fund resources for the Rainbow Pregnancy Support Group.
- £3,000 could help fund a 'cold' cot so that families can spend more time with their baby.
Donate today to make a huge difference to families across Calderdale and Huddersfield.
Find out why the appeal matters to local families.
Check out what our Hospital Chaplain has to say about this appeal
Understand what the appeal means to our local Sands group
How you can help
There are lots of ways you can support our Maternity Bereavement Appeal:
- Host a fundraising event with friends, family or colleagues
- Take part in a CHFT Charity fundraising event
- Donate a prize for our Baby Loss Awareness Week raffle
- Become an Appeal Sponsor and support local families
- Choose us as your workplace's Charity of the Year
- Make a donation today and help create a dedicated bereavement suite for families experiencing baby loss
For any media enquires, please contact our Communications Team by emailing chft@cht.nhs.uk