Sunderland baby loss charity 4Louis marks awareness week with sand mural at Roker Beach
Written by Jack Wallace-Hunter on 12th October 2023
Sunderland-based charity 4Louis has marked Baby Loss Awareness Week with a sand design by sand art creator Soul2Sand at Roker Beach on October 12.
The event invited families who had experienced the loss of a child to write their names on the mural as a tribute.
The charity was set up in 2009 and has supplied memory boxes and support to families nationally who have lost their children.
Victoria Usher, events officer at 4Louis, said: “Our main focus is to show that families aren’t alone. They have something there in their child and baby is acknowledged and loved.”
Picture of Victoria Usher, Events officer at 4Louis
She added: “It is something [baby loss] that no one wants to talk about, it’s a very taboo subject and sometimes you aren’t aware of it until it happens to someone close to you.
“It wasn’t until my cousin’s little boy passed away and then I realised actually this happens so much every day to so many different families and no one wants to talk about it.”
In September, 4Louis supplied around 2,700 memory boxes that contained items to help support bereaved families leaving the hospital.
Northumberland-based Soul2Sand, who created the mural, makes bespoke designs for people and organisations in the sand.
Picture of Claire Eason from Soul2Sand
Claire Eason, the founder of Soul2Sand, said: “I find myself doing amazing projects like this one and this kind of project, which is really meaningful, is my favourite.
“It’s purposeful art.”
She added: “It has been a surprise what sand art can mean to people and it does mean different things to different people.
“There’s something about being in a naturally beautiful place where the creation is very ephemeral that seems to resonate with people and particularly with things like memorials.
“There’s a representation of life itself here.”
4Louis will also host a ‘Wave of light‘ event to mark the end of Baby Loss Awareness Week on October 15.
The worldwide event will take place at Souter Lighthouse, Whitburn where families can attend and will be provided with candles free of charge.
