A CHARITY which supports families who have lost babies has honoured MP Antoinette Sandbach for her crusading work.

The Eddisbury MP has been named by Sands, the still birth and neonatal death charity, as one of their 40 special volunteers.

The award recognises her work as co-chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on baby loss, to raise crucial issues for bereaved families and push for substantive improvements in awareness and support, including championing the National Bereavement Care Pathway (NBCP).

Mrs Sandbach said:“I feel honoured to have been recognised alongside the other amazing Sands volunteers, whose commitment and dedication are vital to the work of the charity.

"I see this award as a recognition of the work done by all my colleagues on the All Party Parliamentary Group for Baby Loss. The loss of a child is a terrible experience, but I hope that these awards are a reminder to everyone that support and help is out there.

"I am hugely grateful to Sands, not only for the award but also for the work they do every day to change policy and improve lives. It has been a pleasure to work with them to develop the National Bereavement Care Pathway and I look forward to working further with them in the coming year.”

The NBCP, which was rolled out nationwide during this year’s Baby Loss Awareness Week in October, helps professionals to support families in their bereavement after any pregnancy or baby loss.

This covers miscarriage including ectopic and molar pregnancy, termination of pregnancy for foetal anomaly, stillbirth, neonatal death or sudden unexpected death in infancy.

Representing a partnership between national government, charities, and local NHS bodies, the NBCP provides documentation and training to professionals together with independent evaluation to ensure that all health professionals – and other colleagues whose work touches the pathway on which parents find themselves – are adequately equipped to provide excellent bereavement care.

Sands chief executive Clea Harmer said: “Antoinette has championed the National Bereavement Care Pathway, ensuring that the vision of the pathway had the right support and resources to become a reality.

"However, without her additional support, time, energy and compassion, which has been volunteered in abundance, none of this would have been possible.”

Visit nbcpathway.org.uk for more information.