The role of us all here at Sands is to provide services on a national level. This includes:

• a national telephone Helpline and on-line Forum
• supporting and co-ordinating the groups and Befrienders around the UK
• promoting research into perinatal death, and pressing for improvements in care for parents and babies
• providing information and responding to enquiries about stillbirth and neonatal deaths
• raising awareness of stillbirths and neonatal deaths on a national level
• representing Sands at a national level
• fundraising for Sands national services
• invaluable volunteers support the work of the staff team in many different ways.

 

 

 

Nitya Nandi, Finance Director

"I came to Sands as a volunteer in 1993 and joined the staff in 1994. I manage Sands finances from top to bottom, and deal with all office supplies and ordering. I am married with two children."

Erica Stewart, Operations Manager & Bereavement Support
"I have been involved with Sands for over 10 years, I have had 4 children, my 3rd baby ' Baby Shane' died in 1983 at 8 weeks old. I am also a Grandmother to little TJ who died in 1997 and Abdulah who died in 2000"

"My job is to ensure the smooth running of Head Office, and communicate with my colleagues who work off site. I am a qualified Counsellor and respond to emails and calls from Bereaved Parents, Health Care Professionals, Media etc, and deal with any general enquiries. I also facilitate the befriender training on a national level, training bereaved parents to befriend in their local area"

Madeleine Kavanagh, Assistant Operations Manager
"I have just become part of the Sands team as Assistant Operation Manager to Erica Stewart. I support the Head Office team in all matters relating to the day to day operations of Sands. I hope to become an integral part of the small Head Office team and look forward to being involved in the future of Sands."

Muriel Hoole, Office Administrator
"I am Grandma to Katherine Anne, born asleep on 9th Feb 1999. I started in the office as a volunteer and now work part-time. I deal with Gift Aid reclaims, publication orders and new memberships & renewals. I am Chair for the Garden sub-committee."

Patrick Wilcockson, Helpline Manager

"I came to Sands about twelve years ago originally as a volunteer on the helpline. I live in London and work part-time at Sands."

Sarah Brewerton, Helpline Worker

"I work on the helpline from my home in Manchester, which is a great privilege. In life my son Benjamin was my pride and joy. In death he is my inspiration."

Clare Birley, Helpline Worker

"When my daughter, Amy, died 11 years ago I became involved in the local Sands group which I have now run for the last 8 years. I started working on the Sands helpline in March 07, the job is very varied dealing with general enquiries and supporting families."

Sue Hale, Group Services Manager

"My first contact with Sands was in 1995 after the stillbirth of our 2nd son, Matthew. I have had many roles in Sands both as a volunteer and as an employee. My current role, as Group Services Manager, involves coordinating the group networks, helping new and existing groups around the country as well as having an input into training and the research agenda. I became a member of the Parent Advisory Committee of the International Stillbirth Alliance in 2005 and am working with many support organisations around the globe.”

Lesley Dewar, Befriender Training Manager

"I came to Sands in November 2001. Having started in admin work, I now manage delivery of the befriender training programme and was involved with Erica in developing the new training package."

Carolyn Bray, Fundraising & Events Manager

"I volunteered for Sands following the stillbirth of my daughter Rebecca in June 2002. Since 2004 I have expanded the Fundraising and Events Department, and have been instrumental in establishing Baby Loss Awareness Day in the UK. I live and work in Lincolnshire with my family and help run Boston & District Sands."

Maria Smith, Assistant Fundraising & Events Manager

"I work as part of the fundraising team alongside Carolyn, dealing with anything that is fundraising related. I have worked part-time from home for Sands since August 2004 and love every minute. I lost my first born daughter Laura 18 years ago to stillbirth."

Marion Currie, Editor Footprints Newsletter

"Following the premature stillbirth of my daughter Lesley in 2002 I was one of the mums that instigated the Baby Loss Awareness campaign in October that year. I have since become the campaign co-ordinator working closely with all the charities involved to promote October 15th and the global ‘Wave of Light’. This led me to volunteering & befriending for Sands. Sadly in 2006 our 3rd son Jon was also prematurely stillborn. I was invited to take over editorship of Footprints the Sands newsletter in August 2007. This is a huge responsibility but I hope it will give the many bereaved families we support and their babies a voice."

Katie Duff, Communications Manager

"I provide strategic communications advice for Sands and run the press office, a hugely rewarding role. I have worked with Sands since early 2005 and joined following the stillbirth of our son Thomas, 30 September 2002."

Janet Scott, Information and Research Manager

"I have been with Sands since 1999, in a variety of roles including writing and editing the newsletter, website and our information resources. More recently I have been developing Sands role in working to prevent stillbirths, something I believe passionately we should be doing. I work part-time from Northamptonshire."

Charlotte Bevan, Information & Research

"I'm a journalist by training and work one day a week for Sands, currently updating Sands self-help literature. I have written articles for the national press and write for the Sands newsletter. I became a member in 2002 shortly after the death of my daughter Hope."