The match will take place on Friday 16 October as part of a series of events to mark Baby Loss Awareness Week, which runs from 9-15 October. With kick off at 7:30 pm, the game will be held at Lincoln Moorlands Railway FC and is free to attend.
United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity Fundraiser, Connor Hill, is ready to lace up his boots and take on the Balfour Beatty XI football team on match day.
“This match is more than a game of football,” said Connor. “It is also about raising awareness about a subject that is difficult to talk about. There are national initiatives around baby loss, but how many in our community even know about them?”
The event will bring people together through a predominately male sport, providing an opportunity to start important conversations, raise awareness and remind men that their grief matters too.
Rachel Bond, Specialist Midwife at United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, shared what the match means to her.
“As a bereavement midwife, I see the impact of baby loss every day. It remains a taboo subject and is often not openly discussed, particularly by men. It is important that they know they matter too.”
The match will hold a special significance for Andrew and Zoe from Gainsborough, who sadly lost their son, Zachary, in 2018 when Zoe was 20 weeks pregnant.
Speaking from his own experience, Andrew highlighted the importance of recognising and supporting bereaved fathers.
He said: “When a baby dies, so much of the attention and support is understandably focused on mum. But dads are grieving too. They have lost their baby, their hopes, their plans and the future they imagined. They feel they have to stay strong, to support their partner and carry on, often without being asked how they are coping.”
As well as supporting the football match, Andrew also volunteers with Aching Arms, a charity which offers support for families, especially for dads, who are experiencing or have experienced baby loss in various ways.
In addition to the football match, other events taking place during Baby Loss Awareness Week include the annual Lantern Walk on 11 October when over 100 families will embark on a torch-lit procession from Lincoln Bishop University to Lincoln Cathedral to remember their babies.
Hospitals in Boston, Lincoln and Grantham, as well as landmarks like Lincoln Cathedral will also be lit up pink and blue in support of the cause.
As the players look forward to match day, Connor has high hopes for its success.
“If we can spread the word that support is out there and if we can raise much-needed funds to continue providing resources that make a traumatic experience a little more bearable, then the match will certainly have been worth playing.”
Donations are welcomed and can be made on the United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity website, with a raffle to be held on the day of the match.
Press release by Charlotte McCormack