Names from L-R: Ryan Shotton (BCFC Captain), Amy Jackson, Amelia Wilkes (BCFC) and Ryan Jackson
THE CLUB HAS RAISED £41,030 OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS FOR THE LILY MAE FOUNDATION....
And the money is already in use after a Fetal Heart Monitor was supplied to Heart of England Foundation Trust.The remaining funds continue to support parents and families who suffer a stillbirth or neonatal death by providing counselling and advocacy support.The Charity is close to the Club’s heart, as staff member Amelia Wilkes and her husband, Gareth, tragically lost their baby girl Angel Peggy Wilkes two weeks prior to her due date.Amelia and Gareth packaged 50 memory boxes with a sticker in memory of their girl.Memory boxes provide much needed support for bereaved parents and allow them to collect and store memories and precious items.The Club chose the foundation to be it’s Charity Partner for last season.Money was raised at the St. Andrew’s Bluecon football event, The 2016 Disabled Supporters Christmas Party, a charity night for Lily Mae, Player Awards 2017, True Blues Junior Awards, a bucket collection at the Barnsley home fixture and the BCFC golf trip to Marbella.Employees of the Club also raised money by running the Birmingham Half Marathon in October last year.Blues were also fortunate to receive donations from supporters and we’d like to thank everyone who has donated to this excellent cause.“Gareth and I want to say thank you to everyone who has supported the charity,” said Amelia Wilkes.“We received donations from family, friends and fans we don’t know so we appreciate all the support you have given.“Birmingham City is a family orientated club and in our time of need they rallied to our side and for that we will be eternally grateful.“We know these funds will help future families and hopefully prevent another family suffering the loss that we have.“The Lily Mae Foundation is a fantastic charity offering so much support to bereaved parents and we feel proud to have worked alongside them in memory of Angel and thank them for all their support.“I’d also like to give a special thanks to our families and close friends for their love and support.“We wouldn’t be where we are now without them and we feel truly blessed to be Angel’s parents and feel honoured her name will live on.”“On behalf of Amy and I and the Trustees of the Foundation I would like to say a huge thank you to Birmingham City FC and all of the supporters who have helped support Amelia and Gareth following the devastating loss of their baby daughter Angel,” added Ryan Jackson, Founder and Managing Director of the Lily Mae Foundation.“We are delighted to have been supported by such a high profile sporting institution in Birmingham City and their close knit group of staff with a big family atmosphere have been a pleasure to work with.“The support network at Blues has enabled us to reach thousands of people to help break the taboo associated with stillbirth and neoatal death.“Blues have embraced and worked with us to break the taboo of baby loss in baby Angel’s name.“They have really helped us to show so many people the vital work that we do with bereaved parents, their families and friends and offer a support organisation for others, who may not have received our help whilst keeping. Thank you once again for the fantastic support.”A video on our support for the Lily Mae Foundation can be seen here.