Our Stars Baby Loss Choir 40 Mile Fundraiser

Our Stars Baby Loss Choir - 40 mile fundraiser

Hi Everyone,

We are Our Stars Choir, an online choir set up by baby loss charity Our Sam (Reg. No. 1191411).

We are a choir made up of people who just love to sing, but the one thing we all have in common is that we have all been affected by baby loss, as a result of Miscarriage, TFMR, Stillbirth or Neonatal Death.

We are led voluntarily by the amazing Steve Taylor, who by day works with Essex Fire and Rescue, but by night directs us, and two other choirs, as well as playing in a band.

Music has been a way for us, as bereaved parents, to find fun, laughter, an escape, and also ever-growing confidence together. We don't focus on our experiences during choir, we just sing, but we are all there for each other, should we need it.

As a choir we are completely free to members. As an online choir, we have members across the UK. Our plan is that we will meet up 2 or 3 times each year, to see each other in person and to do amazing 'musical things' that we generally wouldn't have the opportunity to do, which is fantastic, and something to really look forward to. In order to do this, we have to raise the funds to bring everyone together.

In August we are actually going into a recording studio! Yes Our Stars Choir are going to record a really special song! This song is going to be released on the first day of Baby Loss Awareness Week (9th October) at our very first live public performance, at the place where Our Sam baby loss charity started it's journey, a year ago.

We have a number of fundraising activities planned over the coming months, but our first challenge will be taking place on the 19th June 2021. A small team of 4 of us (Our founder members Philippa, Lydia, Sarah and Holly) will be walking 40 miles (10 miles each), virtually, side-by-side from their individual locations across the UK, starting together and finishing together.

Why are only 4 of our members doing this walk? Philippa, Holly, Lydia and Sarah each represent one of the 1 in 4 statistic, of pregnancies and babies lost each year as a result of miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal death, except that in this case, 4 out of 4 of these Mums have lost babies at different stages of pregnancy, or shortly after birth, 11 precious babies lost in total.

Why 40 miles? The 40 miles represents the 40-week challenge of pregnancy.

You will be able to follow Philippa, Holly, Lydia and Sarah on the 19th June, as they undertake their challenge virtually, side-by-side, and we will give you further details on how to do this closer to the time.

This is a new and growing choir, and music and singing has become so important to all our members, and the confidence they have gained in themselves, and life, through musical challenge and singing, has just been incredible. To be able to bring all our members together would just be wonderful, particularly for something so special.

Any support you can give, no matter how small, will mean a huge amount, so in advance, thank you very much!

With Love

Our Stars Choir and our Music ambassador Oritsé Williams xx