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Our Patrons
A number of celebrities give their time generously to Sands and we are very grateful for all that they do for us.
We are proud to have the following people as our patrons:
David Haig
David Haig has had a varied career on stage and screen, including a role in the quintessential British film Four Weddings and A Funeral. David is currently filming "My Boy Jack", his own screenplay about Rudyard Kipling and the death of his son, Jack. He became involved with Sands after his daughter Grace was stillborn in 1996. He supports Sands as a Patron in many ways, most recently by writing a foreword for one of Sands latest books Fathers Feel too. David lives in London with his partner Julia and their 5 other children.
- Bernie Nolan and David Haig
Bernie Nolan
Bernie Nolan began her career as lead singer of the hugely popular group The Nolan Sisters. She left the group after 22 years when she embarked on a highly successful acting career. She has starred in various theatre and TV roles including, Blood Brothers, Brookside and The Bill. Bernie and her husband Steve lost their dear daughter Kate in May 1998; she was born asleep at 6 months. Sands helped an enormous amount before, during and after Kate's death and continue to do so. Bernie is an active Sands member and recently became one of our Patrons.
Matt Allwright
Matt Allwright first came to prominence in 1997 as an investigative journalist on the flagship BBC consumer affairs programme Watchdog. Since 2001 he's been the iconic presenter of the highly successful programme Rogue Traders, plus staring in Just the Two of Us. Matt became involved with Sands after the death of his best friends' twin boys, Finlay and Cameron.
- Fluer and Clarissa, past Chair Sue Annis-Salter and Matt Allwright
Stein Smart
- Copyright Epping Forest Guardian
Stein is probably best known from his appearance on the reality TV show, Hells Kitchen with Jean Christophe Novelli. Since then Stein has worked alongside Gary Rhodes and Keith Floyd.
There are many ways that Stein is keen to help Sands and his first is by taking part in the Great South Run in October this year! "I'm doing this Great South run in Charlie's honour, and I aim to raise the profile of Sands which is now a charity close to my heart and always will be."
Stein said "After 10 years of waiting for our family to be bigger, going through years of fertility treatment, and 3 unsuccessful attempts at IVF, Charlie was the most awaited for baby that you could imagine. In August 2006 our fourth attempt at IVF was successful, and you can imagine our joy, we were on cloud nine. Charlie was due in May 2007, but because of problems arrived in February 14th 2007 born asleep. He was my perfect little boy."
This is clearly why Stein and his wife Julie are so passionate about helping Sands in any way that they can and for which we are most grateful.
Jo Cameron
Jo Cameron first hit the headlines in the successful TV show, The Apprentice. In the Spring of 2006 she discovered she was pregnant after suffering a threatened miscarriage. Her pregnancy soon went into further difficulty and Jo was admitted to hospital. After an extended spell in hospital Jos baby daughter Emmeline was born at 24 weeks. She was too early and too small and she didnt survive. When Jos daughter died she realised that many thousands of other families suffer the same tragedy each year. It is with this in mind that she is passionate about Sands as a charity. She has pledged to do her upmost to raise as much awareness as she can around all issues of stillbirth and neonatal death.
