CHILDREN dressed as reindeer at a ball to raise funds for the only Swindon charity supporting bereaved parents who have lost their babies.

Scores of youngsters donned antlers and red noses at the event for Swindon Sands.

Money raised from the ball will help the charity buy bereaved families a memory box in which to store photographs and other memories of their child. In 2016, the charity also funded a bereavement suite at Great Western Hospital’s maternity unit.

Ball organiser Amy Chappell, 32, was helped by Swindon Sands after she lost baby Theo during pregnancy in 2015.

“We couldn’t use the Sands bereavement suite at the hospital because it hadn’t been been built there yet,” she said.

Speaking to her other three children about Theo’s death was one of the hardest things, Amy added: “Having to talk them through the loss of their sibling, as well dealing with your own grief was hard. Sands were the only people there to support us. Without Sands I don’t know where we would be today.”

Around 120 babies attended the winter-themed ball on Saturday. A balloon artist made inflatable animal models, Swindon Sling Swing got the babies dancing, while playgroup Heartbeeps dressed the youngsters in reindeer antlers and red noses for a session of sensory play. Local businesses had donated prizes for a raffle, while Abbey Meads Church of Christ the Servant let the ball use its ball for free.

Mum Charlotte Flanningan, 26, from Redhouse, thought baby Max was looking forward to taking the role of a reindeer with Heartbeeps. “He’s really into sensory play,” she said. “I went to some Heartbeeps classes with him and saw this ball advertised. I thought it would be nice to do.”

Chloe Hanson and Sophie Davis were at the ball to support one of the organisers and former neonatal groupmate, Hannah Abu-Ebid.

Both backed the Swindon Sands cause.

Sophie Davis, 27, who travelled from Hampshire for the day with daughter Holly, said: “It’s devastating to lose a child. I can’t imagine what it is like.”

Chloe Hanson, 23, from Stratton, was with daughter Maebel: “If you have a young baby, even if it’s an issue that’s not happened to us, it’s a cause that is close to your heart.”

Jodie Dallas, 34, of Gorse Hill with dapper Jacob, added: “I know a lot of people who have experienced the loss of a baby, including a good friend.”

For more about Swindon Sands, visit: www.swindonsands.org or call 07519 832642 for support.