Saying Goodbye Ambassadors

Professor Lord Robert Winston is a professor, medical doctor, scientist and television presenter.

Statement of Support

Miscarriage and stillbirth is often something that’s not acknowledged or talked about in the UK, and people certainly do not appreciate how utterly distressing it is for parents, and indeed their extended families. It’s a loss of a precious life, and whether the loss happens in early or late pregnancy, at birth or in infancy it’s traumatic, and a natural grief process must be allowed to happen. Sadly a lot of doctors and nurses see loss on such a regular basis, the right support and follow up advice is just not offered, which results in vast amount of parents never coming to terms with losing their baby, and sadly they are not able to move forward with their lives as they become stuck in a cycle of grief.

I am delighted to be an ambassador for The Mariposa Trust an organisation dealing with the suffering caused by miscarriage and stillbirth, by not only offering crucial support to those who need it, but by also working with hospitals, trusts and many other key organisations to support and advise on fundamental changes that can help bereaved individuals. The primary division is Saying Goodbye - Saying Goodbye offers support and befriending to anyone who has lost a baby, and it also runs national remembrance services, which allow families to come together to mourn their lost babies. The services are held at cathedrals across the UK, and more information can be found at www.sayinggoodbye.org. The charities support is offered by six divisions, another one of them being GrowingYou which offers support to anyone who is pregnant following loss, as the fear of losing again can be profound for many people: www.growingyou.org.

The charity was founded by Zoe and Andrew Clark-Coates, who themselves have lost five babies. Having experienced this agonising pain and grief themselves, they are perfectly placed to not only offer wonderful support but also to be a voice in the national media and at a governmental level.

I am so proud to be supporting the Mariposa Trust and their ground-breaking work. Because of the vast range of services and support the charity offers, families are now better supported and know that their loss has been recognised. The causes of miscarriage and stillbirth still need to be more widely understood, but this dynamic organisation is helping tens of thousands of people each and every month.

Baroness Floella Benjamin is best known as a children's TV presenter, and for her work as a campaigner for children's rights and safety. As a Peer in the House of Lords, she is leading the Mariposa Trust bill looking at the introduction of a National Loss Certificate.

Kym Marsh is an Award Winning Actress and Singer, who over the past 15-years has become a household name in the UK. She is a passionate campaigner for change, and personally knows the pain of loss, after the loss of her son Archie in 2009.

Sally Phillips has for the last 15-years blazed a trail as a comedy actress and writer. She has starred in blockbusters such as the Bridget Jones trilogy, as well as in TV shows such as Miranda and Smack the Pony and on numerous Radio shows.

Hope is the charities youngest Ambassador, but has already carved a career in entertainment. She has starred as Lilly Potter in Harry Potter the Cursed Child, for 9 months in the West End, works as a presenter for Kidspiration TV http://www.kidspiration.tv/kids/hope/, has spent 2 years with 'Into film' as a young red carpet reporter conducting interviews with top celeb's including Hugh Jackman and many more, and has presented on CBBC and more...

Lou Conran is an award winning Comedian who tragically suffered baby loss herself, and is passionate about breaking down the taboo's that surround the subject. She also took on a monumental challenge to raise £50K for the charity.

Caroline Quentin is an actress and comedienne, who over the last three decades has entertained the nation.

Veronica "Ronni" Ancona is a Scottish actress, impressionist and author. She first became well-known as a result of appearing in the BBC's BAFTA award winning The Big Impression.

Jaci Velasquez is an American actress and contemporary singer and songwriter. She has sold almost 5,000,000 albums worldwide. Recorded 3 platinum and 3 gold albums, and recorded 16 singles that hit number 1, plus 6 more that entered the top 10. She has received 7 'Dove' awards, as well as 3 'Grammy' nominations, 5 'Latin Billboard Award' nominations, and an 'American Music Award' nomination.

Jacqueline is visiting Professor of Midwifery at Kings College London and London South Bank University. Her experience has led to her leading and influencing national maternity standards and guidance both nationally and internationally through research, education and publications.

Julie Etchingham is a British television newsreader and journalist. She is the co-presenter of ITV News at Ten.

Lisa Bevere is an internationally renowned author and speaker.

Lesley Page is president and board member of the Royal College of Midwives. Lesley is Visiting Professor of Midwifery at the Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery, King’s College London.

Statement of Support

As a midwife for many years, and through my community of family and women friends, I am aware of the terrible grief of the loss of a baby, through miscarriage or stillbirth. I remember when ‘it’ was not spoken about and the parents were left in a shadowy bereavement where grief could not be shown or was not recognised.

When I was Professor of Midwifery at Queen Charlotte’s Hospital in London I was contacted by a woman who had lost her baby in miscarriage many decades before, and she contacted me to ask if I knew where her baby might have been buried. She had never forgotten.

Zoe and Andrew Clark Coates the Founders of Saying Goodbye know this grief, the grief of loss of your baby and also the promise of new life, of a newly formed family, of joy. Saying goodbye to the baby you love is heartbreaking.

I am delighted to act as Ambassador for this wonderful new organisation that offers National services and International support to all those who know loss first hand, or for the extended family, who also feel the pain, when a baby passes away either in pregnancy, at birth or in early years.

The services will take place at Cathedrals and Minsters around the UK, and I know they will be pivotal to so many people who want to mark their loss and remember their babies. To have others recognise the significance of a person’s loss is also a key to the healing process.

Chris and Alyssa Quilala are from Sacramento, California, where Chris is the lead singer of the band 'Jesus Culture', and Alyssa works as an author and blogger. They suffered the sad loss of their son Jethro in 2014, and have 3 other wonderful children.

Bernie Nolan who sadly passed away earlier in 2013, was one of the original Ambassadors for Saying Goodbye. She was an actress, singer, television personality, and formerly the lead singer of the girl group, The Nolans. She is sadly missed.