Angels United - Supporting families that have lost a baby or child
The Pitch
Problem statement
We came together as a group of dads who had all experience the heartbreak of losing a baby or child at any age or stage of pregnancy. Angels was founded to support other families that have been through what we have, using our experiences to make it easier for those that have gone through it since. We are much more than just a football team it’s a bereavement support group and family that supports each other daily on and off the pitch. We have grown from 13 members to over 40, having people reach out from all over Greater Manchester and saving peoples lives in the process. We support men’s mental health and wellbeing using sport as the tool to help family members through the heartbreak.
Solution
To continue to support all family members that have been affected by the loss of a baby or child at any age or stage of pregnancy. By using sport, running our weekly sessions and continuing to grow our project to support as many people as possible. The goal is to give a safe space for families to come together to remember the baby or child they have lost and be supported by each other; we would also love to be in a position to provide further help through therapy sessions to those that need it. The funding will be used to remove money as a barrier to participation by covering the costs of the sessions we put on, the materials we need to run these and to promote Angels United to the community
Why are we best placed to deliver?
Heartbreakingly we have the experience to help others due to the experiences we have been through as individuals that collectively we have put together. We are all members of a club that we wouldn’t ever wish on anyone else, we have all suffered the heartbreak of losing a baby or child and understand exactly what that feeling is. The feeling of being in a hospital and leaving the labour ward with bears instead of your daughters, planning a funeral for your girls and putting on the smile to go back into work, get back to your routine when you are breaking inside. We have grown dramatically in the last 23 months and by working as a group of bereaved parents nothing will be able to stop us.
Focus Areas
Delivery plan
Budget breakdown
| Kit & Equipment | £2,500 |
Beneficiaries
35 people
Expected impact
The impact of this project can’t be measured in numbers and statistics as this is more about the support that we will be able to offer family members in some of the darkest of times. We would be looking to reach out to offer the help across Greater Manchester to those that have suffered the loss of a baby or child. We would also be looking to continue to support those family members that have already reached out, by removing the financial barrier to our support by removing signing on fees and sub fees. We would also be able to help over 30 people by making sure they had all the kit and equipment needed to take part in our sessions.