Couple who lost baby determined to help others in similar situations Dumfries and Galloway

A couple from Dumfries are highlighting the support available to bereaved families during Baby Loss awareness week.

Alison and David Hall lost their son during childbirth in 1996, and found it difficult to get support in the local area.

It led to them founding Dumfries and Galloway Sands, a regional branch of a national charity supporting anyone affected by the death of a baby.

Ms Hall said: "We work very closely with the maternity services in Dumfries and Galloway and we helped create the bereavement suite, an area where bereaved parents can spend as much time as they want with their baby.

"There's no rush for them to go home. They're out of the clinical area so it's their room for as long as they want.

"We have a team of befrienders, who are all bereaved parents and are willing to meet and support anyone who needs help."

This week marks Baby Loss Awareness Week which raises awareness about pregnancy and baby loss in the UK.

It aims to bring people together so they're not alone, which is the reason the couple started the local group.

Mr Hall added: "We have different ways of getting together and supporting each other so there's a couple of Scottish Sands United football teams, which is again a slightly different way of encouraging people to talk and acknowledge the fact that baby loss is serious and effects you for the rest of your life."