Portsmouth and Chichester Sands volunteers are encouraging more local bereaved families to join their choir, Voices of Sands.
The choir brings together people affected by baby loss, offering support, friendship and a way to remember and celebrate their babies through music.
Co-chair of Portsmouth and Chichester Sands Emma Hayward said: “The choir has been an amazing lifeline for so many of us. Like all Sands groups we are totally open to all. You don’t need to have sung before, or even know how, you just have to have a voice and want to share it with others. I've seen members go from being very shy, consumed with grief and the lack of confidence that often comes with it, to becoming very active members of the choir, completely stepping out of their comfort zone and flourishing.
“We meet twice a month for choir practice. There are currently 10 members who come to most meetings. This is different from our usual monthly support meetings, but just as important and beneficial. Coming together to sing as people who have experienced baby loss feels really powerful, it gives us a way to remember and celebrate our babies.”
Bereaved mother and choir member Jemma said: “Our songs are chosen sensitively, with babyloss in mind, but that does not define them all and we try and mix slow, moving song types with more upbeat, hopeful music. I always feel great after a choir session as I allow myself to forget everything and focus on my singing. I see it as my time spent doing something I love with people who have become friends who happen to have experienced a similar trauma to me.”
Emma and the choir have performed at community events including Wave of Light in Portsmouth for Baby Loss Awareness Week and the Starlight Walk in Bristol last year.
Bereaved mother and choir member, Leoni said: "Going to choir is so much more to me than just singing. Of course, the support, friendship and understanding from others means a huge amount, but it also helps me feel connected to Logan, our baby we sadly lost in 2022. Every time I attend choir, it reminds me why we are all there, to keep the memories of our babies alive, close in our hearts and thoughts, while being surrounded by people who truly understand the journey of loss and love.”
Anyone who would like to join the choir can contact Voices of Sands on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/voicesofsands
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