A GROUP of inspirational women, who have sadly lost 11 babies between them, will take on a fundraising challenge to raise awareness of baby loss.

The Leader previously reported that Mold woman Philippa Davies launched her own charity ‘Our Sam’ after her own journey through the loss of her baby daughter Sam.

Sam was born sleeping in January 2012 and Philippa said the charity was to support bereaved parents and give them a voice.

Throughout lockdown, when fundraising and activities had to cease, Philippa started an ‘Our Stars Choir’ for people across the UK to come together through music.

Philippa said: “Everyone has a connection and the choir has massively boosted our confidence. For that time we get together and laugh and sing and it’s really positive.

“It’s been fantastic. Being a bereaved parent, you feel you don’t fit in and you lose a lot of confidence.”

In a bid to raise funds for the charity and bring the choir together, Philippa along with Lydia Orford from Chester, Holly Coe from Swindon and Sarah Watts from Coventry will be walking 40-miles collectively.

The 40-miles represents the 40-week challenge of pregnancy and the four women represent the 1 in 4 statistic, of pregnancies and babies lost each year as a result of miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal death.

Each of the women, starting at different points in the UK from Mold to Coventry, will complete the challenge on June 19.

Supporting the choir as an ambassador is Oritsé Williams from JLS.

He told the Leader: "Baby loss is sadly more common than many people realise. My family have experienced it first hand and so when I was asked to be the music ambassador for ‘Our Stars Baby Loss Choir’,

"I felt compelled to help raise the sound of the voices of many who suffer in silence. I am mesmerised at the strength of all the extraordinary people in the ‘Our stars’ choir and the challenge of the 40 mile walk they have set themselves.

"I have every bit of faith in them that they will make it to that finish line."

Philippa will be starting her fundraiser challenge from Theatr Clwyd where ‘it all began’ following her successful ‘Dancing in the Wings’ play.

Anyone wishing to donate to the cause can do so online at https://www.gofundme.com/f/our-stars-baby-loss-choir-singing-for-their-stars

When she started the choir, Philippa wrote her own lyrics which will be recorded in a studio later this summer and released on the first day of Baby Loss Awareness week in October.

The fundraiser reads: "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."