A SWINDON charity is calling on knitters to help make a difference to parents who have lost a baby.

The Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society – Swindon Sands – is already supporting the grieving parents of stillborn infants by creating special memory boxes designed to help collect memories of the few precious moments they had with their child.

The boxes, embossed with the words ‘Always Loved Never Forgotten’ were launched at Great Western Hospital in December and are designed specifically for parents who have lost a baby over 25 weeks into the pregnancy or shortly after birth.

But now Swindon Sands is in the process of creating miniature boxes especially for babies lost very early in pregnancy, and is calling on knitters to create what the charity calls angel pockets - a woollen blanket to wrap the baby in for burial.

Chairwoman Cathy Milburn, who lost her son Adam at 31 weeks on New Years Eve 2006, said: “The most important thing for me to know then was that he was wrapped up snug, and warm when he was laid to rest.

“I think that is something any grieving parent wants for their child so that is where the idea of the angel pocket came from.

“Babies lost before 24 weeks are classed as ‘unviable foetuses’ in the medical world, but ask any mother who has just miscarried and she’ll tell you she lost her baby, not that her foetus was unviable. This is why we have created these miniature memory boxes, because every parent deserves support, whatever stage of the pregnancy they lost their child.”

Among the contents in the larger boxes is a hand-knitted baby blanket, a pair of matching teddy bears, one to be placed with the baby and one for the parents to keep and a keepsake box for a lock of hair or identity bracelet.

In the miniature box the contents will be the same with the addition of the knitted angel pocket and a smaller blanket.

Cathy, 33, mum to Peter, 10, and Benjamin Eli, one, said: “In this terrible situation parents just don’t know what to do and the idea of creating memories of their short time with their baby is often missed or thought inappropriate.

“The boxes are, in a way, a nudge to encourage them to make memories, putting one of the teddies in the coffin with their baby and keeping the other – that kind of thing.

“If anyone who would like to help us continue this service could knit a blanket for either size box or an angel pocket, we would be very grateful.”

Patterns for all three designs are available on the Swindon Sands website www.swindonsands.org.

For more information about Swindon Sands call 01793 238 788 or email admin@swindonsands.org.