Help JJ’s Library bring comfort, connection & kindness to maternity services ❤️

JJ’s Library was created in memory of my son, JJ, who was stillborn at 38 weeks and 6 days in February 2026.

After losing JJ, I wanted to create something positive from something that should never have happened.

When we left the maternity bereavement suite, one of the things that stayed with me was how much I wanted those final moments with my baby to feel like moments of parenthood — to cuddle him, talk to him and read to him.

That is where JJ’s Library began.

Books for bereaved families

The first part of JJ’s Library is providing ordinary children’s books for maternity bereavement suites at Royal Derby Hospital and Queen’s Hospital Burton.

These aren’t books about loss.

They are books about love, families, bedtime, adventures and the everyday moments that parents should get to share with their babies.

The hope is that a parent can choose a book, hold their baby close and read to them — hearing their own voice and creating one more precious memory together.

❤️ Supporting the maternity staff

The second part of the project is about the people caring for families during some of the hardest moments of their lives.

I am creating appreciation hampers for maternity staff, initially for the maternity/triage and labour ward teams at both Royal Derby Hospital and Queen’s Hospital Burton.

The hampers will include things such as:

• Chocolate and sweets

• Biscuits and snack bars

• Crisps and savoury snacks

• Tea, coffee and other drinks

• Skincare and self-care items

• Little treats for staff to enjoy during their shifts

I want the staff who care for women, babies and families to know that their work matters and that they are appreciated.

Growing JJ’s legacy

I am currently developing JJ’s Library as a community project, with the hope of eventually expanding the work to support more maternity services and families.

I am also exploring the steps needed to formally establish the project so that it can grow sustainably and continue making a difference.

Every donation, whatever the amount, will help.

£5 could contribute towards a book or a small treat for a member of staff.

£10 could help provide several books or items for an appreciation hamper.

Larger donations could help us build up bigger collections and support more maternity teams.

I will also continue seeking donated books and products from businesses and individuals, so that donated funds can be used as carefully and effectively as possible.

This isn’t about forgetting what happened to JJ.

It’s about making sure that his life continues to mean something.

JJ should be here.

He was my son, he had a name, and he was loved.

I can’t change what happened to him.

But I can try to make something good come from his story.

Thank you for helping me build JJ’s legacy — one book, one family and one act of kindness at a time. ❤️