A FOOTBALL team has been set up specifically for men who have been affected by baby loss.
Samuel Woolford, from Salisbury, has been working with the stillbirth and neonatal death charity Sands to set up Sands United FC Salisbury.
Samuel and his wife lost their second child, Etta, just before Christmas 2019. She was diagnosed antenatally with a congenital heart defect, and although her initial prognosis was good when she was born, she suffered a “massive” cardiac arrest and died in hospital at 27 days old.
Samuel said: “We have been very well looked after by various charities and support groups but one of the things we really noticed (especially me) is that most of these groups cater more for women who lose babies. It makes sense - the physical, mental and emotional strain is, in my opinion, far greater for a grieving mother.
“However, men all over the country are grieving too and lots of them feel like there is nothing out there to support them specifically.”
Samuel Woolford
That’s where Sands United comes in. Sands United FC is a unique way for dads and other bereaved family members to come together through a shared love of sport and find a support network where they can feel at ease talking about their grief when they are ready. There are Sands United teams all over the country and Sam has founded the latest team here in Salisbury.
When lockdown restrictions are lifted, the team will return to meeting every Thursday at Bulford Camp - currently scheduled for Thursday, April 1.
The team is set to join a Sunday league next season and is also in the process of registering with the Wiltshire FA and Salisbury District League.
Sands United FC Salisbury
Its numbers have grown to 30 players since before Christmas.
Recruiting players for this team can be difficult, Sam says, as parents generally, but men especially, “aren’t particularly forthcoming with the fact that they may have lost a child and might be struggling”.
Sam said: “Having recently just moved back to the city, no one I meet immediately knows that my family has recently been through such a significant loss and even my closest friends aren’t aware how much it affected me. We really want to get the word out there to the bereaved dads and other family members of Salisbury that we exist, we’ve been through similar experiences and we’re here to help.”
Sam added: “Although most of our group do play, we also have some men who just want to be part of the group for the support we offer each other, and don’t play any football at all.
“Any man who has been affected by stillbirth, miscarriage or neonatal death is welcome to get involved with the group, whether it be as a player or just (post covid) in a social and support sense.”
Sam Woolford and one of his players at a baby-loss awareness event.
The club is sponsored by Gallery 21 in Salisbury, who Sam says has “very generously purchased our home kit for next season”.
He said: “We’re hoping to run some awareness and fundraising events in the summer once the country reopens.”
For more information, go to sands.org.uk/get-involved/sands-united-fc or facebook.com/sufcsalisbury.
Sands United FC Salisbury logo
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