Sands Befriender

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

Sands provides bereavement support services both nationally through its Freephone helpline, mobile app, online community and resources, and locally through a UK-wide network of around 100 regional support groups. 

The Brighton and Worthing Sands support group is always looking for people that can become befrienders to support our bereaved families.The befriending service provides trained volunteers who have lost babies in the past, who offer to listen to - and talk informally with - bereaved parents on the phone, by email or face to face.

Sands Befrienders play a vital role in offering support to bereaved families . Many of us know first-hand how much comfort and support a Befriender can give. The reassurance of talking to someone else who has been affected by the death of a baby and who is nearby to phone or to meet in a group is invaluable. 

National Sands runs two-day courses for befrienders around the country, where at least two years has elapsed since your bereavement. You will also need to be linked to a local group and to have attended at least four recent support meetings. This is so you can make sense of what being a befriender involves.

As the service is run on a rotational basis between befrienders, it does not involve giving up significant amounts of time, although you must be committed to helping bereaved parents quickly. You should also be in the position to focus on someone else's loss rather than your own. 

Skills

Befriending is an emotionally demanding role, and both you and we need to be sure you are ready to take it on and have suitable support yourself. If befriending isn’t right for you at this time, that’s ok. If you want, you can get involved in other ways, and you can of course continue to access support for as long as you need it.

To help us decide with you whether you are ready to befriend, we have a number of checks in place that we will take you through.

Benefits

To know you have helped other parents who have been through the loss of their baby. 

Practical Considerations

You will need to attend a two day training course run by the national Sands organisation. 

When do I need to be available?

Details	This role does not involve giving up significant amounts of time, although you must be committed to helping bereaved parents quickly.

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Register your Interest