Couple aim to open region’s first child loss bereavement hub

Daniel Thompson and Georgie Will devastatingly lost their daughter Ava-Marie Thompson 11 days after she was born in Warrington Hospital’s Butterfly Suite in 2018.

The pair, from Newton-le-Willows, were told 12 weeks into their pregnancy that their baby would only live for a short time due to a condition called anencephaly – which prevented her skull from forming properly.

Following Ava-Marie’s death, Daniel and Georgie donated a cuddle cot – a cooling mattress that allows parents to spend more time with their baby after they have passed away – to Warrington Hospital in her memory.

They have since set up the Ava-Marie Foundation as a registered charity, which provides free memory boxes to bereaved families throughout the UK.

The next step is to establish the north west’s first bereavement hub, where staff will take care of the deceased child and provide interconnecting rooms where parents can make memories.

Daniel and Georgie with Ava-Marie

“The Ava-Marie Foundation was launched as a legacy in memory of our beautiful daughter Ava-Marie,” Daniel said.

“Since launching, we have provided hundreds of free memory boxes throughout the UK and are going from strength to strength.

“Due to the current Covid-19 pandemic, we are unable to go ahead with our fundraising activities to raise vital funds for our new child bereavement hub.

“Our new state-of-the-art hub would provide interconnecting rooms where we would take care of the deceased child.

“It would also provide a space for the bereaved parents to stay overnight in a relaxed setting where they can make memories with their child.

An artist impression of what the Ava Marie Foundation Child Bereavement Hub would look like

“We will also have access to a 24/7 counselling service where parents can receive moral support while dealing with the loss of a child.”

The bereavement hub would have around the clock volunteer staff who will have mental health first aid training and counselling skills.

They would also help bereaved parents and families to make numerous memory items including casts, prints and jewellery.

In order to make the hub a reality however, Daniel and Georgie need to fundraise around £15,000, with every penny going towards the creation of the Ava-Marie Foundation Child Bereavement Hub.

“We found there was a massive gap in the support for bereaved parents and their families, and in 2019 we decided something had to happen, which is why we launched the foundation,” Daniel added.

“Ultimately, what we are trying to provide is a wraparound service for bereaved families.

The memory boxes provided by the Ava-Marie Foundation

“Our vision is to create a relaxed environment while helping to alleviate the decline in families’ mental health upon losing a child.

“We are not a hospice and do not provide any palliative care, however we provide an invaluable service for anyone who has just lost a child or is going through process of losing a child, with a trained counsellor to provide moral support.

“We hope to be able to engage with funeral directors across the north west and accept referrals to the bereavement hub.

“Our role is to allow those precious moments and to allow parents and families to make memories.”

If you would like to donate, visit avivacommunityfund.co.uk/child-bereavement-hub-construction