The befriending service provides trained volunteer befrienders who have lost babies in the past. They offer to listen to - and talk informally with - bereaved parents on the phone, by email or face to face. The service is run on a rotational basis, responding to phone calls received on the dedicated befriender mobile phone number for the local group - 07799 031645.

Over the years, the service has proved invaluable to parents. As one bereaved mother who was visited by a Brighton and Hove befriender just a week after her daughter died says, "We felt very singled out when this happened and wondered what on earth this stillbirth thing was. Being visited by a Sands befriender at home made us realise that we were not alone and gave us an invaluable lifeline in our darkest hour."

National Sands runs two-day courses for befrienders around the country, although it recommends that volunteers have at least reached the first anniversary of their babies' death before registering for training. As the service is run on a rotational basis between befrienders, it does not involve giving up significant amounts of time, although you must be committed to helping bereaved parents quickly. You should also be in the position to focus on someone else's loss rather than your own. 

Currently, there are only two befrienders for the whole of Sussex and we need to recruit more people who are in the position both emotionally and time-wise to become befrienders and to help other bereaved parents.

If you are interested in finding out more about befriending for Sands, please contact Serena Mitchell, email serenamitchell@lineone.net