Why Supporting SANDS Is So Important to us

When people think about The Party Guys and Shropshire Events Group Ltd, they probably think about celebrations. Weddings filled with love, birthdays surrounded by family and friends, festivals full of music and laughter, and events that bring communities together. Creating those moments is something I genuinely love, and it's a privilege to be part of so many special occasions throughout the year.

However, behind every business there is a personal story, and sometimes those stories aren't always filled with celebration.

For me and my wife, one of the most defining moments of our lives came in 2011 when we lost our beautiful son, Rylan.

Losing a child is something no parent should ever have to experience. It's impossible to prepare yourself for, and it's almost impossible to put into words. The world seems to stop, while everyone else's carries on. You find yourself navigating emotions you never knew existed, trying to understand something that simply doesn't make sense. Although time helps you learn how to live with grief, it never takes away the love you have for your child. Fifteen years may have passed, but Rylan remains part of our family every single day. He is spoken about, remembered, loved and will forever hold a place in our hearts.

During one of the darkest periods of our lives, we were introduced to SANDS – the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Charity. Looking back now, I honestly don't know how we would have coped without the support they provided.

SANDS didn't pretend they could take away our pain because nobody can. What they did offer was something equally valuable: compassion, understanding and reassurance that we weren't alone. They were there to listen without judgement, to provide practical advice when everything felt overwhelming, and to remind us that what we were feeling was normal. Sometimes, simply speaking to somebody who truly understands your grief can make the biggest difference.

As the years have gone by, I've come to appreciate even more just how much this incredible charity does. Many people understandably associate SANDS with supporting bereaved parents, but their work reaches much further than that. They provide support for anyone affected by pregnancy loss or the death of a baby, including parents, grandparents, siblings, wider family members and friends. They also work closely with hospitals and healthcare professionals to improve bereavement care, fund research into why babies die, campaign for safer maternity care and strive to reduce the number of families who have to experience the heartbreak of baby loss in the future. Their vision is simple but incredibly powerful: a world where fewer babies die, and where every bereaved family receives the care, compassion and support they deserve.

Sadly, baby loss affects thousands of families across the UK every single year. Yet despite how common it is, it remains a subject that many people find incredibly difficult to talk about. That silence can leave grieving families feeling isolated at a time when they need support the most. One of the reasons we've chosen to support SANDS is because we believe that conversations matter. The more openly we talk about pregnancy and baby loss, the more understanding we create, and the more likely it is that families will know there is somewhere they can turn when they need help.

As The Party Guys and Shropshire Events Group Ltd has continued to grow, I've spent a lot of time thinking about what kind of business I want us to be. Of course, we're passionate about creating unforgettable events and bringing people together to celebrate life's happiest moments. But I also believe that every successful business has a responsibility to use its platform to make a positive difference where it can.

That's exactly why we've chosen to support SANDS.

This is far more than just another corporate box-ticking exercise.

It isn't about adding a charity logo to our website, making a donation once a year, or supporting a cause because it looks good from a marketing perspective. This is deeply personal. It comes from our own experiences, our own journey and our own gratitude for a charity that stood beside us when our world fell apart.

Supporting SANDS is our opportunity to give something back to an organisation that gave us so much. It's our way of honouring Rylan's memory while helping other families who sadly find themselves walking a path that no parent should ever have to walk.

Over the coming months and years, we want our support to be genuine, visible and meaningful. We don't simply want to raise money, we want to build a community around this cause.

We're already putting together plans for a whole range of fun fundraising challenges, community events and awareness campaigns that we hope will bring people together whilst raising vital funds for SANDS. Whether it's sponsored challenges, charity quizzes, raffles, auctions, fundraising nights or completely new ideas, we'll be getting involved and encouraging as many people as possible to join us.

One project we're particularly excited about is organising a large Family Fun Day. As event organisers, bringing people together is what we do best, so it feels only right that we use those skills to create something special for such an important cause. Our vision is to create a fantastic day filled with entertainment, music, activities, local businesses, food, fun and community spirit, all whilst raising money and awareness for SANDS. We hope it becomes something that people look forward to every year and something that makes a genuine difference to families who rely on the incredible work of this charity.

Ultimately, this isn't just about fundraising.

It's about remembering every baby who is no longer with us.

It's about giving hope to families who may feel there is none.

It's about starting conversations that many people are afraid to have.

It's about raising awareness so that bereaved parents know they are never alone.

And it's about ensuring that charities like SANDS can continue providing the life-changing support they offer to thousands of families every single year.

We hope you'll join us on this journey. Whether you take part in one of our fundraising events, attend our Family Fun Day, make a donation, sponsor one of our challenges or simply help us spread awareness, every single contribution—no matter how big or small—will make a difference.

Finally, I'd like to say thank you.

Thank you to everyone at SANDS for the kindness, compassion and support you showed our family. Thank you for the work you continue to do every single day for thousands of families across the UK, and thank you for making sure that no parent has to face baby loss completely alone.

Most importantly, thank you for helping us honour the memory of our son, Rylan.

He may no longer be here with us physically, but he remains part of everything we do. Supporting SANDS is one way of ensuring that his legacy lives on—not only in our hearts, but through helping other families who, sadly, find themselves facing the same unimaginable heartbreak.

If our story encourages just one person to seek support, to start a conversation, to volunteer, to attend one of our fundraising events or to make a donation, then sharing it will have been worthwhile.

This is more than charity.

This is our family's story.

This is our way of saying thank you.

And this is our promise to do everything we can to help ensure that no family has to face baby loss alone.

To learn more about the incredible work of SANDS, access support, or find out how you can help, please visit www.sands.org.uk. 💙