Sands United FC Salisbury
Sadly, the death of a baby is not a rare event and every 90 minutes in the UK – the length of a football match - a baby dies shortly before, during or soon after birth. When a baby dies the feelings of loneliness and isolation can be overwhelming and having other bereaved parents to talk to is vital, but dads can sometimes be overlooked or struggle to find ways of getting support that suits them.
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're ready.
The teams also commemorate their babies' all too brief lives by proudly displaying their names on the kit worn for every match.
And each team member helps make a difference by raising vital funds to help Sands achieve its vision of a world where fewer babies die, and when a baby does die, anyone affected receives the best possible care and support for as long as it's needed.
A football team for men who have been affected by the loss of a child to stillbirth, miscarriage, or neonatal death. We are based in the Salisbury area but we serve Andover, Basingstoke, Winchester and North Dorset.
The Sands United FC Salisbury squad at our first training session. We’ve more than doubled our numbers since then.