On July 2, 2020, in the middle of the first wave of COVID lockdowns, my fiancée and I found out that we had lost our precious little baby Robin, whose heart had stopped beating at 11 weeks and 2 days. On July 10, 2020, the love of my life gave birth to Robin on a maternity ward while I was stuck at home, wishing I could hold my partner’s hand and see the child I would never get to raise.

It will have been three years since we lost our little bean this July, and although we are incredibly lucky to have a beautiful, healthy little girl in our lives now, not a single day passes where our hearts don’t ache for the infinite possibilities of who our firstborn might have been, for every kiss and cuddle and bedtime story we never got to tell.

And so, as we continue to live with grief and look for new ways to remind the world that Robin is still our baby and still so very loved, I have taken it upon myself to walk 500,000 steps over the month of July 2023 to raise money for Tommy’s and spread awareness about miscarriage and baby loss.

Tommy’s provide expert advice and fund pioneering research to prevent stillbirth, miscarriage and premature birth. Your sponsorship allows Tommy’s to continue their vital work – in short you’re helping save babies' lives.

250,000 miscarriages are recorded on average each year in the UK, and so my 500,000 steps is a step for the parents who’ve lost their little one, and another for each of those who are missed, loved, and will never be forgotten.

There is still a huge stigma surrounding the subject of miscarriage in this country, despite the fact that nearly a third of all first-time pregnancies end this way, and a quarter roughly of all pregnancies do too. The reality is that there are hundreds of thousands of mums and dads out there who will always be mourning their child, and who - like myself - may have at times felt like they have to fight for the right to say they had that child and that they matter too.

So, if you can (and I know times are very hard right now), please spare a few pennies, pounds, or whatever you can manage to help support a phenomenal charity, but also to help remind every parent out there who has had to endure the unimaginable that their babies are not forgotten, and that they never will be.

From me at least, to anyone who has been where my fiancée and I have been, I try to take comfort in a line from a television show that touched my heart; “What is grief if not love persevering?” Our love perseveres, always.

Finally, to my darling Robin, Dad loves you, and I’ll see you when I’m sleeping kiddo 🤍

EDIT: At present, I am now walking 750,000 steps for Tommy’s thanks to all of your generous donations. Any further donations beyond the £750, I’ll do the extra steps in the first week of August. 🤍