We were delighted to recently welcome Shahin Ashraf, the Mayor of Solihull to The Lily Mae Foundation, where she had the opportunity to see firsthand the support and care we provide to families affected by baby loss.
During her time at The Foundation, the Mayor immersed herself into learning about the comprehensive support we offer and getting to know who is behind the Charity. Over a cup of tea and cake, the team and 2 bereaved families who have been supported by the Charity spent time talking to the Mayor about the work we do. They discussed our support services, our own experiences of loss and how important it is that we continue to offer the support we do to bereaved families going through the devastating loss of a baby.
A particularly special moment of the Mayor’s visit was when she joined us to assemble one of our Memory Boxes, with bereaved Siblings Sophie and Sabriyah, both of whom are a part of our Sibling Focus Group. Each box is lovingly put together to provide families with lasting memories of their lost babies, and we were able to show the Mayor each and every detail highlighting why they are so important for bereaved parents. Sophie, Sabriyah and The Mayor made three of our Muslim Memory Boxes during this visit.
Visits like this reinforce the importance of community and political leaders in spreading awareness and advocating for the support that families deserve.
With the support of our local council The Lily Mae Foundation is empowered to reach even more bereaved families in need of support and to champion change in how society approaches the topic of baby loss.
To the Solihull Mayor; we offer our heartfelt thank you for her time, her empathy, and her commitment to better understanding the challenges faced by the families we support and we look forward to connecting with her again very soon!