Our volunteers
We're a safe space. We're a friendly face. We're whatever you need us to be.
Welcome. We're here to provide comfort, support, guidance, and understanding. Whatever you need, whenever you're ready – we’re with you every step of the way.
Our volunteers are the backbone of our community
Without our volunteers we wouldn’t be able to do all the great things we do. They meet regularly to plan the fundraising events and support groups we provide. Not only does it help them to feel support in terms of friendship and a unique bond, it allows them to raise awareness and have a real sense of empathy when it comes supporting others.
‘I’m Rachel and I’m a parent volunteer for The Forget Me Not Fund. Since I lost my daughter Everley in 2023 I have found that doing things for the charity in Everley’s name has really helped me. It’s kept me busy and given me a purpose, something I can do for her and because of her, and hopefully help other families going through baby loss. The first thing we did was introduce the ‘Everley Bears’ in the Butterfly Suite for the small sleeping babies. I have also been involved in numerous cake sales over the last year My daughter Scarlett who is seven organised one and we raised £1000! I have also helped establish the charity partnership with South Western Railway, we are currently helping The Forget Me Not Fund to set up their website and helped them place a deposit for their first Ball. I am forever grateful for the charity and those supporting it and am so pleased I can give something back.’
"Hello, my name is Rebecca. I am mummy to our two beautiful angel babies (Norianwe Venetia and Baby Bean) and our chunky rainbow named Qahnaarin Victor. Like most people, I knew absolutely nothing about baby loss until it happened to me. But after I received the incredible support from the hospital (mainly Laura, obviously) and other parents, I knew I needed to volunteer and pass on my support to others. I have been a part of so many events since becoming a volunteer in 2022 such as Baby Loss Awareness Week, the multiple cake sales, the Winchester Cathedral services, the Remembrance Walk in Thatcham, hosting coffee mornings, making sure Festival Place is lit up pink and blue for BLAW and meeting with MPs to talk about bereavement care. I also love myself a craft, from handmaking all the babies' name tags for the Remembrance Trees to scrapbooks for my babies' stories. Oh, and if there is anything relating to ducks, I’m in!!!"
"My name is Kirsty, and I’m Alex’s mummy. I started volunteering with FMNF in 2021 when I found the support group incredibly helpful after losing Alex in 2019 and wanting to give something back and help others. I help out in lots of ways, including arranging local newspaper coverage in 2022, but most notably I write and host our annual Christmas Quiz."
My name's Catherine and I’ve been a volunteer since February 2021. I run Flutterbabies, and help with Baby Loss Awareness Week, as well as many other things. I decided to become a volunteer after my daughter Amelia was born sleeping in October 2020. I liked the idea of a challenge, and being able to learn new skills, but I also really needed something to help keep my mind busy. Becoming a volunteer was one of the best things I could have done. A few months after Amelia died, it soon became clear that I was struggling with PTSD. It has given me a positive focus as well as a purpose; helped to build confidence again and I’ve managed to slowly improve some skills that I lost due to chronic illness. It has also been nice to find something that I enjoy doing that is meaningful, and that I can work around my disability. Over the last 3 years, the PTSD has gradually improved and I’m now doing things that I never would have thought I would do. Flutterbabies is going from strength to strength, and it’s been so nice meeting so many wonderful families. My husband and I have also been very lucky, to have since been able to have another baby; Amelia’s little brother is now 3, and we now have another little one due 2025.
Fundraising
After Nori passed away, we really wanted to say thank you to all the incredible staff that helped us create the most precious memories, and to us a card and a box of chocolates just weren’t enough.
We raised just under £1000 for the neonatal unit (Basingstoke) and decided to put it into revamping their garden. We spent a lot of time out in the garden with Nori during the day, she was able to feel the breeze and the sun on her little face. She really enjoyed being outside and would instantly relax and fall asleep as soon as we went out there.
But another reason why the garden became such a special place for us was because of the escapism. It was an escape from the beeping machines, the sound of happy families and a calm before the storm we knew was coming for us. In other ways, this garden kept us as sane as possible in our circumstances.
I mentioned this to my dad, who then enlisted his darts team to come along and help out. The revamp was very much needed as the space had become so overgrown and unused during the pandemic.
So on a rather hot day in the middle of August, my team of 10 got to work at de-weeding, cutting back the bushes, painting the fence, adding gnomes and decorating the garden, planting new flowers, repairing and repainting the two existing memorial benches, and then installing a purple bench of our own in memory of Norianwe.
I hope that in doing this for the neonatal unit, others can appreciate a space that became so special to us and that it can hopefully help other parents and families deal with their time on the neonatal ward with a little more ease.
We visit the garden every year on all Norianwe’s special dates to add something new, and I am always spotting something duck related in the shops that I just have to buy for them. The Basingstoke Neonatal Unit became our home, and the staff became our family, and there is nothing in this world that we can do to show them how incredible they are and how much we want to thank them for making Norianwe’s life and journey so magical right till the very end!
