First in Scotland baby loss support service receives National Lottery funding

A first of its kind support service for bereaved families is one of 549 projects across Scotland today sharing in over £23 million from The National Lottery Community Fund. A full list of projects is attached. 

Held In Our Hearts receives £191,541 for its Hospital to Home project, the first in Scotland to offer an automatic ‘opt out’ as opposed to an ‘opt-in’ support service to bereaved families when they are still in the hospital. This ensures that all families in need of support have access to it, without the need to reach out in a very difficult time.

Thanks to its National Lottery funding, over the next three years, the charity will be able to continue bridging the gap from hospital care to community support, helping more parents like Jessica Tweedie, 32, from Edinburgh and her husband Chris.

Jessica woke early in the morning of her baby’s due date and immediately felt a tightening sensation in her stomach and when she didn’t feel him move went to hospital. It was there, they were given the devastating news that their baby had died.

Jessica said: “We just both broke down at that point. I’ve often thought of my life since that point like the film Sliding Doors, that somewhere I am living another life where Edward (Teddy) is alive and this didn’t happen.

“We stayed in the room for a bit and talked about next steps, including how I would give birth to Teddy. I remember we were given a leaflet about a postmortem and also a leaflet about Held In Our Hearts.

“On Tuesday 7th June 2022, our beautiful baby boy, Teddy, was born. We stayed in the hospital with him until the Thursday – leaving the hospital without him was the hardest thing I have ever had to do.

“We were given a baby box to make memories – including a lock of Teddy’s hair, handprints and footprints and took photos and videos, some of which I still can’t look at. I say goodnight to Teddy every night. He will always be my firstborn and the baby who made me a mum.

“We first had a visit from Held In Our Hearts the next week – someone from the Hospital to Home team came to my parent’s house and since then the service has helped us navigate our new lives since losing our baby. The old versions of us died when Teddy died – it would be impossible for us to return to our former selves – and Held in Our Hearts were faithfully by our side as we started to live our ‘new normal’.

“During such an isolating period of your life it’s so important to have that ongoing support and practical guidance, particularly from people that have the same lived experience as you.

“Having people like Held In Our Hearts reaching out to us at such an early stage made it a lot easier that trying to find someone to talk to, especially in the midst of everything we were going through. They are a lifeline.”

Nicola Welsh, CEO, Held In Our Hearts, set up the charity after she lost her own son in 2009. She said “I felt very alone after my loss and was desperate for someone to come to my home and offer some support.  I was left to make the contact myself which I found difficult to do. 

“This funding has allowed us to make this dream a reality and, having heard firsthand the difference it makes to families lives. Our ‘opt out’ service is changing the way bereavement care is offered and has life changing benefits to people’s wellbeing.

“Our aim is to make sure no one in Scotland is alone after their precious baby dies and this vital funding supports us in making sure we continue to achieve our vision.  We are incredibly grateful to The National Lottery Community Fund and to the public who play The National Lottery who have made this possible.”

Announcing the funding, The National Lottery Community Fund’s Scotland Chair, Kate Still, said: “This funding announced today will not only help improve the lives of tens of thousands of people in communities across Scotland but also families who are overwhelmed and struggling to process what has happened to them.

“As Jessica’s story clearly highlights having the right support from such an early stage is essential in helping parents through the most difficult and challenging times whilst supporting them to feel that they are not alone in their grief.”

“National Lottery players can be very proud that they are helping to support this vital work which is making a difference to so many.”   

National Lottery players raise over £30 million a week for good causes across the UK. Thanks to them, last year (2023/24) The National Lottery Community Fund awarded over half a billion pounds (£686.3 million) of life-changing funding to communities across the UK, supporting over 13,700 projects to turn their great ideas into reality.       

To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk