My Story

We would like to raise, in total, a sum of £1000 for SANDS.org.uk, - £500 through the holding of a Charity Gala event and a further £500 through donations made through the SANDS charity donation web site, ENTHUSE. But why? Read on….

I first came across the charity SANDS.org.uk at an ‘Active Together’ awards ceremony where a football team, ‘SANDS Utd FC – Ashby’ deservedly beat our lawn bowling club into second place in the category of ‘Club of the Year’.

In talking to Johnny, the recipient of the award, I learnt more about the parent charity, SANDS.org.uk, and in particular more about Johnny’s football club, Sands Utd FC – Ashby and the help that they provide locally, in particular, to bereaved fathers.

SANDS.org.uk is the leading stillbirth and neonatal death charity supporting bereaved families across the UK. Many people feel that only others who have experienced the death of a baby can offer real understanding. SANDS provides a UK network of support Groups that offer people the chance to meet others, gain support and share their experiences.

Most of us will have experienced neonatal death in the family or will have come into contact with it through a friend. Society seems to expect a man to have a stiff upper lip and carry on – ‘be a man’! However, thankfully, that view is changing and, as people now realise, men need just as much support.Unfortunately that support is not easily found.

The idea of SANDS Utd football teams was founded in 2018 by a gentleman called Rob, following the passing of his daughter Niamh. Since then there are now around thirty SANDS Utd teams throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The teams offer a unique way for dads and other bereaved male family members to come together through a shared love of sport and find a support network where they can feel at ease talking about their grief when they are ready.

Sands Utd FC - Ashby was started on Sunday 21st June 2020, Fathers Day, and in as little as the 10 weeks the club had over twenty men as part of the club to gain support and try and improve their mental and physical well-being. Men’s mental health has never been highlighted more in society than it currently is, however child loss remains a taboo subject. They aim to open up society to say to men it is ok to talk about your feelings following the loss of a child, one of the single worst things that can happen to anyone.

A germ of an idea formed at that awards ceremony, where an invitation was issued from our bowls club to Sands Utd FC – Ashby, to stage a fun bowls match, purely as a social event. However, since that invitation was issued, the idea has grown from being just a social event to an event where we could hold a small gala and attempt to raise some much needed funds for the parent charity SANDS.org.uk.

We have set ourselves an overall target of raising £1000, but hope to raise £500 towards that target, through this find giving page.

Thank you for reading our story and please help us reach (or exceed) that target.