County Hall in Taunton will be lit up in pink and blue next week from Monday to Friday next week (11-15 October) as Somerset County Council shows its support for Baby Loss Awareness Week.

Baby Loss Awareness Week, now in its 19^th year, is an opportunity for bereaved parents, families, and their friends, to commemorate babies’ lives, raise awareness of pregnancy and baby loss, and to drive for improvements in both care and support for those affected and to save babies’ lives in the future.

Councillor Clare Paul, Somerset County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Public Health, said: “We hope turning the landmark County Hall pink and blue from dusk to the early hours will spark conversations about baby loss and give local bereaved parents and families an opportunity to talk about their precious babies.”

This year Baby Loss Awareness Week will be exploring the theme of wellbeing and sharing what has helped anyone affected by pregnancy and baby loss to recover and build a life after loss.

Clea Harmer, Chief Executive of Sands (the stillbirth and neonatal death charity), said: “Baby Loss Awareness Week is a unique opportunity for parents, grandparents, siblings and wider family and friends to come together and remember their babies who have died, however long ago.

“For anyone whose baby has died, however recent or long ago, the world is changed forever, and there is no simple answer to grief. Finding ways to cope and look after yourself or your partner is different for everyone.

“I hope that County Hall being lit up pink and blue during October will help start more conversations about pregnancy and baby loss, and by doing so help bereaved parents and families feel more able to talk about their babies and find ways to look after themselves and others.”

All the buildings and landmarks turning pink and blue for Baby Loss Awareness Week  2021 will be featured on the interactive map and on the official Baby Loss Awareness Facebook page. Anyone in Somerset can share their photos of County Hall or other buildings lit up to mark the week on social media with the hashtags #BLAW #BLAW2021 and #BabyLoss.

For further information about Baby Loss Awareness Week visit: www.babyloss-awareness.org