#HalfForHallie - Swindon Half-Marathon being completed by the loved ones of Hallie Charlotte Smith in support of The Ashfield Trust who provide life changing support to parents who have experienced baby loss. Team includes:

Jack Smith, Liam Pascoe, Simon Tait, Niamh Meaney, James O'Reilly, Declan Meaney, Michelle Wilkins, Mike Wilkins, Gemma Waldock, Rose Battaglia, Maddie Palliser, Dean Stevens, Dom Banham & Holly Heath.

If you're reading this page and thinking about donating to this life changing charity, thank you. Let us introduce ourselves and tell you more about our journey with our darling daughter Hallie Charlotte Smith.

My name is Erin and I am mummy to Hallie, who is the only child of myself and my husband Jack. When we fell pregnant with Hallie, we were absolutely overjoyed. Being a mummy and daddy is something we always knew we wanted. Despite a few scares, everything was on track for us to become parents to our first baby, a baby girl. The nursery was lovingly painted, she was showered with gifts and love, and the hospital bag was ready in the car. This was the most exciting time of our lives. Then came 1st March 2025. During a routine check up for reduced fetal movements, we heard Hallie's heartbeat pounding away. After being admitted as a precautionary measure, we then heard the news nothing could have ever prepared us for. Hallie's heartbeat had stopped, our much longed for baby had passed away. With barely enough time to process this shock and no understanding of why this had happened, doctors then advised me that I had to deliver our baby girl, knowing I wouldn't be bringing her home.

This is where the bereavement midwives & support workers came in. These incredible women comforted Jack and I during the worst time of our lives and explained calmly what would need to then happen.

On Wednesday 5th March 2025, at just under 37 weeks gestation, Hallie Charlotte Smith was born. She weighed 4lbs 7 ounces and every inch of her was perfect. She was immediately placed on my chest just as I'd requested and myself and Jack's lives were changed forever. No one could have prepared us for this amount of love. But how do you support a parent who has all this love for a baby, but won't be able to shower their baby with that love? This is where The Ashfield Trust came in.

The Ashfield Trust are part of the Oxford Hospitals Charity. They have recognised that something needed to change when it came to the support available for bereaved parents. Women used to have to deliver their babies whilst listening to other pregnant women labouring and hearing other living babies cry. This would have been extremely traumatising for me had I been in that situation. However, The Ashfield Trust have created a soundproof, calming space that I was able to deliver Hallie in. Following delivery of Hallie, we were then taken to The Butterfly Suite. This was a non-clinical room where we were able to spend time with Hallie. This was equipped with a cold cuddle cot, allowing Hallie to stay with us for a period of time that we will treasure forever. During this time, professional photos were taken of Hallie along with prints and casts of her tiny hands and feet. We were given lots of precious memories to take home with us. We then left the hospital with a memory box instead of our baby. Walking out of those doors and leaving her there was the hardest thing we've ever had to do. It went against everything my mothering instincts told me to do. Throughout that time and thereafter, we received support from the bereavement team. They communicated with the funeral director so we didn't have to, referred us to counselling and have made it clear they are there for us always.

We all know how many funding cuts there have been to services, and this particular service was life changing for us. The only reason we have memories and have been able to take in all of Hallie's beautiful features is because of the services provided by the Ashfield Trust. We simply have to do our bit to ensure that other bereaved parents are able to have this time too. You don't know this service needs to exist, until you do. We are so extremely grateful for them. It is not lost on us how expensive some of the services we received are. The charity are going to provide us with a breakdown of costs in due course.

We are desperate to do what we can to raise money for this cause. So that's why we will be completing the Swindon half-marathon on Sunday 28th September 2025 alongside our family and friends. We appreciate any donation you can give and we are grateful it will help other parents who find themselves in this devastating situation.

This is for you, our darling girl. For Hallie ❤️