A CHILDREN'S hospice will be lighting up Bradford landmarks for a special awareness week which begins today.

Forget Me Not will illuminate prominent monuments and buildings, including Bradford Town Hall, in pink and blue.

It is part of Baby Loss Awareness Week, which runs from today until Thursday, October 15.

The dedicated week - in its 18th year - provides an opportunity for bereaved parents, families and friends, to commemorate babies’ lives and to raise awareness about baby loss.

Every year, thousands of people experience the loss of a baby in pregnancy, at or soon after birth, and in infancy.

The care that bereaved families receive from health and other professionals, following pregnancy loss or the death of their baby, can have long-lasting effects.

While good care cannot remove parents’ pain and grief, it can help them through this devastating time.

In contrast, poor care can significantly add to their distress.

Forget Me Not provides a dedicated and unique service to pregnant mums, their partners and families who receive the tragic news that their baby is unlikely to survive.

It gives practical and emotional support for families if a baby dies before, during or shortly after birth, or continues to live with a life-shortening condition.

Normally remembrance services take place during the awareness, but many of those will not go ahead this year due to coronavirus restrictions.

One of Forget Me Not's Children's Hospices, Russell House in Brackenhall, will be lit up to mark the occasion.

This will be made possible by 350 blue and pink lights, which are attached to the building.

Forget Me Not is encouraging the local community to get involved by lighting a candle next Thursday or by leaving a dedication to their little one at: forgetmenotchild.co.uk/babylossawareness

Lis Meates, director of service delivery and development at Forget Me Not, said: “The coronavirus has had a major impact on people being able to access the care and support they need and has exacerbated grief and responses to baby loss.

"Now more than ever, we want to come together to let those families who have lost a baby know they are not alone.

"So, we invite you to show your support for those who have experienced the loss of a baby – whether or not you have been directly affected yourself.”