Tragic newborns charity in crisis

A LOCAL charity which helps families cope with the loss of still-born children has warned it is facing a cash crisis.

The still-birth and neonatal society Sands Lothian has been left with a 60,000 shortfall this year, and its situation has been made worse after its funding from the Lloyds TSB Foundation charity organisation ran out.

The foundation had provided vital grants of up to 7000 a year for Sands over the past three years, and without the funding, the charity has had no choice but to cut staff hours.

Sands operations manager Dorothy Maitland said that while there was currently no risk of closure, the charity was facing a difficult future.

Ms Maitland said: "The same amount of babies are dying in Lothian as 25 years ago. There is a need for our charity. 70-80,000 is needed per year to keep everything running, but we currently only have 20,000 in the bank.

"We've been forced to cut staff hours just to keep services going.

"There is no risk of the charity closing down at this stage, but we don't know what the future holds."

Seventeen babies are still-born or die shortly after birth every day in the UK. Sands was set up in 1981 to provide support for bereaved families, and the charity relies on donations.

Ms Maitland added that "Charities have suffered a lot during the credit crunch and we have to accept that was the way things are."

She said they were now hoping to receive funding from Comic Relief, having been shortlisted for a grant of 29,000 over two years.

Local Conservative MSP Gavin Brown has been working in the Sands shop on Colinton Road this week to help to raise awareness.

He said: "I want Sands to succeed and get funds for the work they have to do," he said. "The more money they have, the more they can help people that need them.

"Working in the shop was great. I had some great conversations with interesting people and served the public. It was really interesting and I hope to be able to help again in the future."

The Lloyds TSB Foundation confirmed that the charity had been ineligible for funding in the latest round, but said they were now able to re-apply.

Mary Craig, chief executive of the foundation, said: "The foundation made a three-year award to Sands in December 2007, the last payment of which was distributed to the charity in November 2009.

"When charities have received a multi-year award, they are eligible to re-apply for future funding 12 months after their last scheduled award. Sands are therefore now eligible to apply to the foundation for future funding and we would be more than happy to receive their application."