Inverness Sands is one of UK Sands local support groups which play an enormous part in supporting anyone affected by the death of a baby. 

The Group was set up in August 1986, Elizabeth Massie and Audrey Lauder are two of the founder members and both suffered the death of their babies. There was no support for people whose babies had died in the area at the time, so there was a great need for this Sands support group which covers the Highlands. 

Over the years the group has been very active with many committee members and group members carrying out activities. These include befriending bereaved parents, telephone support, group support meetings, work with their local hospital; including funding a bereavement suite, a quiet room in the hospital where parents can go to ‘escape’ for a short time, funding bereavement training and more recently funding midwife Fiona Mundell to train as a bereavement counsellor and delighted to report is now working within NHS as a counsellor. 

The group were able to achieve all of this through fundraising and generous donations from bereaved parents. 

However the support Group urgently needs more volunteers to help continue to provide this level of support to families and help to hospitals.

Audrey has been part of this group for over 25 years and has made an outstanding contribution to all those affected by the death of a baby in the local area. She will shortly be retiring and would like to find others in the area who wish to join the group and move it forward, so it can continue to support and provide this vital service for so many parents who endure this modern day tragedy. 

Audrey said: 

“As a Sands befriender for the last 28years I feel it has been a privilege and an honour to support bereaved parents in Inverness and the Highlands some of whom have become a friend.

“When your baby dies you and your family are completely devastated and cannot imagine ever coming through that devastation, but with support from Sands many do, learning to live life all be it differently  but never forgetting their precious baby.

“I hope Inverness Sands will continue for another 30 years successfully supporting bereaved parents in the Highlands.”

For further details or to find out how you can get involved with this support Group please contact Sands' Scotland Network Coordinator, Ann McMurray, on 0203 598 1935 or ann.mcmurray@uk-sands.org.