Northampton man wins Pride of Britain Award for helping bereaved dads across the country

A man from Northampton who set up a football team to help bereaved fathers has won the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Award.  

Rob Allen, 36 from Northampton has been announced as this year’s Pride of Britain Special Recognition Award winner after founding Sands United, a network of football teams, where men who have lost babies and young children can come together to grieve.

Rob and his wife Charlotte’s third child Niamh was stillborn, days before her due date in 2017.

They were helped through their loss by the stillbirth charity Sands, but at one meeting, Rob counted 24 women and three men.

Realising that grieving dads were finding it difficult to reach out for help, he organised a charity football match to raise funds for Sands, but it also men an opportunity to come together and talk about their loss.

The one-off game, featuring bereaved fathers, grandfathers, uncles and brothers, raised £6,000, but the emotional benefit for the players was even more significant.

After that he formed Sands United, and entered a local league in Northampton.

There are now more than 30 Sands United teams across Britian, with each team's kit embroidered with names of the babies that have died.

Celebrities including Ed Sheeran, Pixie Lott, Simon Cowell and Stephen Fry will come together to celebrate the Pride of Britain Awards which will be held on November 4 on ITV.

Prince Charles will also be part of the awards.