Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Heroes to pull on capes for charity fun run
Superhero school pupils across Monklands are being invited to get set in their capes and masks and take part in a special challenge to raise funds for a local charity.
Baby Loss Retreat is staging its second annual superhero run on Thursday, April 28 – to coincide with national superhero day – and is asking schools to get involved by staging their own 5km run or fun day in support of the good cause’s work.
Proceeds will go towards the busy charity’s latest project, to provide music therapy sessions for bereaved youngsters whose families have been affected by miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal death.
Charity founder Julie Morrison took part in last year’s superhero run along with youngest son Leon, now six, with the pair completing a 5km walk in the area near their Coatbridge home.
Now she is hoping that schools and workplaces across the area will get involved this time around with their own fundraisers on the superhero theme in support of their latest project in a busy programme of support for families.
Baby Loss Retreat provides tranquil breaks for bereaved parents and a wide range of support services including counselling groups, as well as their new music therapy expansion.
Julie told the Advertiser: “The superhero run lets kids and adults get involved in dressing up in their costumes and raising funds by doing the 5km run, or a shorter distance, fun day or whatever best suits them.
“We started providing music therapy sessions two months ago, as parents
were saying it was hard to find that support for their children and there are such long waiting lists, so we wanted to give that through Baby Loss Retreat.
“Children can find the music they like and how it makes them feel, and go on to make a playlist which they can listen to when they’re feeling sad or low; they can have group sessions with others or
a one-to-one session with a counsellor at our office in Glasgow.”
The charity is working with M&L music therapists to provide the vital new service for siblings, and Julie added: “It’s a nice thing that schools getting involved will help raise funds for our new project for children.
“It costs £250 for a course of six
sessions and we’ll be delighted with any amount raised through the superhero event.
“We don’t have a target in mind but it would just be fantastic to see as many schools and groups getting involved as possible.”
Any interested groups can register to take part in Baby Loss Retreat’s superhero challenge by heading online to https://babylossretreat.org.uk/ and entering their details at the fundraising page.
Baby Loss Retreat is also seeking new volunteers to help at its new charity shop in Bellshill, which sells a wide range of children’s and adult clothes, toys, prams and homeware.
Located at Bellshill shopping centre on Motherwell Road in the town, it is open on Mondays, Tuesdays and from Thursday to Saturday, from 10am to 4pm each day.
Julie added: “It’s been a great thing to have a shop to make people aware of what we do.
“We’re the first baby loss charity in Scotland and all the funds raised really make a difference.
“We don’t receive grant funding for things like the travel we provide for those going to our retreats or for the comfort bags we provide when they get there, so the shop helps towards that.
“The shop is really nice and welcoming and there are great bargains for people; we’re always looking for donations and would love to hear from anyone who could help in the shop.”
Volunteers will receive travelling expenses, and the charity would especially love to hear from anyone with previous retail experience.
To get involved, email babylossretreat@hotmail.com or call 07868 557343.