NEXT month Winchester Cathedral will hold the third in a set of national remembrance services for people who have experienced baby loss, whether during pregnancy, at birth or in infancy.

Nearly 20 services will be held around the UK, allowing bereaved parents, families and friends to join together in acknowledging and remembering babies that have gone too soon.

The services are organised by The Mariposa Trust, which held its first service in 2012, and celebrated its 100th service at the end of 2017 in Westminster.

It now helps over 50,000 people each week through its six divisions offering support through baby loss, pregnancy after baby loss, fertility, adoption and more.

The charity was founded by Zoe and Andy Clark-Coates, who suffered the loss of five babies. They saw that there was an extreme lack of support available to parents like them, and so decided to start the ‘Saying Goodbye’ services.

Now five years on, the charity holds cathedral services across the UK, France and the US, and is looking to expand these further.

Baby loss affects around one in four pregnancies each year in the UK, with nearly 700 babies lost each day. When parents go through the devastating loss, whether during pregnancy, at birth or in infancy, they often feel isolated and unable to process the overwhelming grief and trauma that miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal and early years loss brings.

The services allow people to stand with others who have experienced a similar trauma, and collectively acknowledge and remember each life lost.

The services are open to all, whether people have lost recently or decades ago, and welcome not only parents, but also the extended family and friends. The services are uplifting and moving events filled with music, poems, acts of remembrance and more, and have been attended by countless thousands of people, who have found healing and solace by attending.

The service will immediately be followed by a National Candle Lighting for babies who have been lost, which will see thousands of candles lit within the cathedral.

Mrs Clark-Coates said: “We invite anyone who has gone through or been affected by baby loss, to join us for this special event.”

Come and join with others who have been through a similar expereince, in remembering all those who have gone too soon, because every baby matters.”

l The service will take place on May 12 at 10.30am. More information on the charity can be found at www.mariposatrust.org and via www.sayinggoodbye.org, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sayinggoodbyeuk and on Twitter @SayingGoodbyeUK. The charity can be contacted by email at office@sayinggoodbye.org