Groups unite to help bereaved parents

Melton support group Stephen’s Footprints and the Emma and Hope Foundation donated a cold mat to Leicester General Hospital on Monday.

The mat, costing £1,600, allows bereaved parents to spend more time with their babies.

Stephen’s Footprints group member Zoe Chritchlow (35) of Syston came up with the idea of raising funds for the mat after her baby Maisie was still-born nine months ago at Leicester General.

She said: “I could have benefited from having some extra time with Maisie.

“I spent about six or seven hours with her before her body began to deteriorate and it was distressing to see.

“I would like to help stop other mum’s and dad’s from going through that.”

Sian Ferris, bereavement specialist midwife for University Hospitals Leicester, who collected the mat for the hospital on Monday, said: “The mat basically preserves the baby in a cot or Moses basket till the parents are ready or able to say goodbye.

“Staff at Leicester General feel very fortunate to have had one donated to us as we feel it will help the hospital offer as much support as we can to parents in devastating circumstances.”

The money for the mat was raised at a golf day in Northampton organised by Neil Palmer (36), Emma and Hope Foundation founder.

The foundation also received £120 from Make and Play playgroup in Syston.

Neil, of Syston, set up the charity after his partner Emma Parker (32) and two-year-old daughter Hope Palmer, were killed in a car accident in Gaddesby in July 2008.

The foundation is a non-profit organisation which raises money for local children’s charities.

He said: “I thought the mat was a very worthwhile cause and was blown away by the amount of support given to the foundation in raising funds for it.”