Tees Better Future Fund Pledges £5,000 to Petals Charity, Offering Hope in the Face of Loss

The Tees Better Future Fund is pleased to announce Petals, the baby loss counselling charity, as a recipient of a £5,000 grant. This grant signifies a beacon of support for families navigating the heart-wrenching journey of pregnancy and baby loss.

Petals believe that every bereaved parent should have seamless and timely access to specialised mental health support in the aftermath of losing a pregnancy or baby during or shortly after birth. The devastation of pregnancy and baby loss can affect anyone and everyone, a form of bereavement that has not always been fully understood or acknowledged despite its profound, lifelong impact on parents.

 NHS  offerings often fall short in providing routine psychological support after such losses, so Petals steps in to help parents process their shock and trauma. The grant from the Tees Better Future Fund will further empower Petals to provide vital psychological support for 10 bereaved families in and around Chelmsford.

 "At a time when demand for our specialist counselling service has never been so high, support such as this from the Tees Better Future Fund is key to enabling us to be there for more bereaved parents when they need us the most. We are delighted that thanks to this support we will be able to provide our vital service to more bereaved parents in the Chelmsford area in 2024. 

 Our clients tell us time and time again that our support has been life-changing, even lifesaving and having to turn anyone away goes against everything we stand for. We rely on charitable funding to extend this support to bereaved parents, no matter what type of loss they have experienced and all of us at Petals would like to send our thanks to the Tees Better Future Fund for this incredibly generous donation in support of our work." Commented Karen Burgess, Petals Founder & CEO.

 In 2022 alone, Petals delivered over 5,400 counselling sessions, marking a 19% increase from the previous year. The Tees Better Future Fund grant will contribute to ensuring that no bereaved parent is turned away, especially those whose requests for counselling exceed the capacity of current NHS partners.

The unique Petals counselling model is tailored to address the specific needs of parents experiencing mental health challenges following devastating events such as miscarriage, stillbirth, the death of a baby, or the termination of a wanted pregnancy for medical reasons. 

Grief following pregnancy and baby loss is a complex and all-encompassing emotional distress that can lead to serious mental health issues if left unattended. Petals recognise the normalcy of reactions such as grief, anxiety, depression, and PTSD and strive to create a safe space for parents to process their pain and move toward reconciliation and hope for the future.

“Ensuring that bereaved parents receive the essential mental health support they need after the loss of a pregnancy, or the death of a baby is a cause close to our hearts. Unfortunately, such vital assistance is not readily available within the NHS. We are thrilled to share the news that, through a grant from Tees Better Future Fund grant, we can partner with Petals, the baby loss counselling charity. 

This funding will specifically provide specialist psychological support to 10 families whose maternity care fell under the Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford. Without this lifeline, these families would otherwise be left to navigate the challenging journey of grief in solitude. Our contribution aims to ensure that no parent facing such heartbreak walks alone on this difficult path.” Commented Janine Collier, Co-chair of the Tees Better Future Fund.

Petals collaborates with the Maternal Mental Health Service (MMHS), bereavement midwives, and mental health teams to ensure their unique counselling model reaches those who need it most. The charity's dedication to breaking down the barriers surrounding baby loss is evident in its collaboration with other well-known charities such as Teddy's Wish and Cosmic Charity.

Grief is a deeply personal experience, and Petals understands that not all clients may progress through their model in a standard number of sessions. However, thanks to the Tees Better Future Fund grant, Petals can extend its support to grieving parents who might otherwise not receive any assistance, particularly those based in and around Chelmsford and receiving healthcare at Broomfield.

The Tees Better Future Fund is proud to stand alongside Petals as they continue their invaluable work, offering solace and support to bereaved parents in the Chelmsford community and beyond.