PLANS for a new bereavement suite for parents whose babies have died are to go ahead.

Bosses at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton have donated two rooms to the cause, which will offer support to mothers and fathers who have lost their little ones to stillbirth and other post-natal illnesses.

Now those behind the plans, including charity Abigail’s Footsteps, are seeking funding for the running of the suite.

David Ward, chief executive officer at Abigail’s Footsteps, said: “We have set ourselves a very ambitious time scale of ten months in which to raise the money and carry out the works, and we are determined to do this.

“Ten months is too long for parents who need the facilities right now.”

Abigail’s Footsteps was set up in 2010 by parents Jo and David Ward following the death of their daughter Abigail who was stillborn at 41 weeks.

The charity believes that many hospitals up and down the country remain underprepared to deal with stillborn births or neonatal deaths - despite 15 happening every day in the UK.

They aim to improve bereavement training in hospitals across the country, provide resources for hospitals and to ensure the proper location of bereavement suites - including the new one coming to the Royal Sussex.

The team running the project is led by hospital bereavement midwives Hayley Stevenson and Shelley Trigwell, and includes the founders of charities Abigail’s Footsteps and Oscar’s Wish Foundation as well as other parents who have lost their children to stillbirth.

Kara Carling, who lost her little girl Jessica in October last year, is fundraising for the suite following her experiences with the bereavement facilities in the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath - which were also funded with help from Oscar’s Wish.

She said: “The bereavement suite provided a lot of comfort, and now we want to help raise the money to open a similar bereavement suite in Brighton in Jessica’s memory.”

The charities are still discussing the organisation of the project with the Royal Sussex, and have had a written agreement from the hospital that two rooms situated in a sensitive space away from the maternity ward can be transformed into one large bereavement suite.

The charities hope to raise in excess of £50,000 for the suite.

To donate to the cause, visit here or here.