A KEIGHLEY photographer has become a volunteer for a charity that provides pictorial keepsakes for people whose babies have died.

Laura Sunderland takes free photographs of the baby with its parents to provide a lasting reminder of their child.

As part of the Remember My Baby service, Laura is able to visit hospitals to work with parents who have lost their babies before, during or shortly after birth.

The charity captures images of a baby with parents, siblings and extended family for free, and gives each family free digital images.

Keighley-born Laura said the aim was to create lasting memories for bereaved families.

She said: “I’ve been a portrait photographer for eight years, and wanted to use some of my time to help people in their most trying times.

“I became aware of the charity through some advertising they did. I applied to be a volunteer and was accepted, and did my first sessions a few weeks later.”

Remember My Baby was launched just over two years ago, and since then its volunteers have provided more than 700 Remembrance Photography sessions across the UK to families losing their baby.

The charity recently won a Butterfly award for Cherished Keepsake as part of this month’s Babyloss Awareness Week.

The charity works with bereavement midwives and managers in more than 75 maternity units and NICUs across the UK.

The spokesman said: “When a family loses a lifetime’s potential for capturing milestones as their child grows, Remember My Baby’s volunteer photographers will capture images of a precious baby with parents, siblings and extended family for free.

“Each family will receive a free gift of high-resolution digital images with a licence to print for their own personal use.”

Families can contact Remember My Baby, or the volunteer photographers directly if their hospital or birth centre does not currently promote the services offered.

Laura said Remember My Baby could be contacted directly by parents or hospital staff without a firm agreement being in place.

She added: “As long as parents okay it, we’re allowed to attend.”

The Butterfly awards, now in their fourth year, were set up to raise awareness of baby-loss, a topic often hidden away.

Award categories include best blogger, bereavement worker, birth professional and baby-loss volunteer, along with inspirational mothers and fathers.

Around 200 people attended this year’s awards ceremony.