Filey mum's fundraising skydive in memory of stillborn daughter Lily-Rae

In 2011 Amber and Wayne Gleeson were looking forward to the birth of their first child. However, at 32 weeks pregnant, the pair were given the devastating news that their baby, Lily-Rae, had passed away.

Amber, 29, said: “I had a healthy pregnancy, everything was going great, but at 32 weeks I got into labour and doctors said they couldn’t find Lily’s heartbeat.

“The care I received there was fantastic but at the time they didn’t have a bereavement suite, so I was in the labour ward surrounded by mums and their new-born babies which wasn’t great.”

To mark what would have been Lily’s 10th birthday next year, Amber, who has since had two other children, Ruby, seven, and Cooper, four, has decided to fundraise for Scarborough Hospital’s midwives by taking part in a skydive on May 23.

The money raised – more than £1,500 so far – will go towards redecorating the bereavement suite and the training of specialist bereavement midwives.

“After losing Lily they have planned my pregnancy from the start and followed through absolutely everything. I just want to do something to say thank you.”

At the same time, the mum-of-two is hoping the extra funds will enhance the support provided to couples, particularly dads, who find themselves in a similar situation.

In the next few weeks, two fundraising events have been organised to raise as much as possible.

These are a chicken nugget challenge at The Chop House at The Station Hotel, Filey, at 7pm on February 28 and a cheese and disco night, also at The Chop House, at 7pm on March 13.

For more information on the events and how to donate visit the ‘For the Love of Lily Rae’ Facebook page.