Kent based charity urges knitters to help with demand for baby bereavement clothing

Cherished Gowns UK is calling for volunteers to knit 2500 pink, white and blue blankets, to meet the current demand for baby bereavement clothing packs.

The charity provides families of babies that are stillborn or miscarried with items of clothing they are able to be dressed in for their funeral.

These clothing packs have been sent to every UK hospital, free of charge, for over eight years now.

The clothing packs contain a cherished gown, made from donated wedding dresses, a hat, booties, a cloth nappy and a blanket – the item that is in lowest supply.

Chief Executive and Founder of Cherished Gowns UK, Megan McKay, said: “We’ve never run out of items before, this is a new thing for us.”

And this isn’t the only obstacle the charity is currently facing.

Royal Mail strike action has caused delays to these clothing packs, which are now taking seven to ten days to be delivered, rather than next day. 

“The service they provide [Royal Mail] is still the best out of a bad bunch really, but we’ve been having to use alternatives such as DPD. But that in itself is more expensive,” Megan said.

On top of this is the cost-of-living crisis, which has impacted Cherished Gowns UK “drastically”, according to the Chief Executive.

“Our electricity contract has just been up for renewal. We were paying 55 pounds a month but now that’s gone up to 154 pounds.

“Literally there is no more money,” she said.

Grant funding took a “massive turn” when Covid hit so in order to raise funds, the charity was forced to ask some of the wedding dress donators if their dress could be sold instead of transformed into a Cherished Gown.

“To be honest, that is what has been the driving force in keeping the charity afloat,” Megan revealed.

The charity has a team of 1500 registered volunteers, from knitters to seamstresses to crotchet mentors.

Baby Loss Awareness Week culminates tomorrow (Saturday, October, 15) with the globally recognised ‘Wave of Light’.

Families are invited to light a candle at 7pm and leave it burning for at least one hour to remember all the babies that have died too soon. 

More information about Baby Loss Awareness Week can be found at https://babyloss-awareness.org.