Gosport resident hopes to break down baby loss stigma with Sands charity walk

Robyn Webb, 23, from Gosport has suffered two miscarriages within the last year and her losses, which left her feeling alone and without sufficient support, have pushed her to set up her own charity walk to raise funds for Sands.

The starlight walk will take place on October 11 at 7.15pm, starting from Gosport Lifeboat Station to Lee-on-the-Solent and back, and Robyn and ‘supportive’ boyfriend Liam Yates welcome anyone who has also experienced baby loss to join them, bring a lantern and – for those who aren’t able to complete the 10K walk – light a candle.

Robyn said: ‘There’s not really a way that you get to speak to other people who have gone through it. It would be nice to know that close by, it’s actually more common than you think.

‘Then I found Sands’ starlight walk and I thought, I’ll just make my own and see if anyone who's been through it wants to join, they can have a chat and raise a bit of money for them.’

Sands is a stillbirth and neonatal death charity which exists to reduce the number of babies dying and ensure that anyone affected by the death of a baby receives support for as long as they need it.

‘It can feel like people tread on eggshells around me,’ Robyn said.

‘I obviously don’t want it to be that way, it can be quite lonely and it is quite hard to get back out and have fun and live a normal life after.’

Robyn talks openly about her grief and through her fundraiser, she hopes to connect with local people who have had similar experiences, to help break down the stigma around the topic.

‘It's such a taboo subject, no-one wants to speak about it at all. I think you fear “oh they might feel uncomfortable”, but I’m very open about it because I feel like it does need to spoken about,’ added Robyn.

‘I just hope that people who have been through it can come together and confide in one another more. It's just nice to know you have other people and you’re not alone.’

To donate visit gofund.me/7e779725.