Petals

Petals The Baby Loss Counselling Charity It is a sad reality that in the UK, 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage. 1 in 200 babies will be stillborn annually.

Over 5000 pregnancies will be terminated for medical reasons each year. And 24 babies die shortly after birth every single week. For many parents, these tragic deaths result not only in grief but also in trauma. Our counsellors provide a safe space to guide parents through the grief and trauma of their devastating experience to a place of reconciliation and hope for the future. We do this through

our free counselling service, which specialises in supporting those parents who have lost their pregnancy or baby. Our national online video counselling service provides psychological support to people across the UK, and in some areas we also provide counselling in person, in partnership with hospital Trusts. Petals is funded by voluntary donations and charity grants. You can find out how to donate at: http://www.petalscharity.org/donation

04/06/2026

As day 1 of draws to a close (although there are still a few hours and miles to go!) the 90-odd cars that set off this morning are well underway on their epic Scandinavian adventure.

And so it feels like the perfect time to introduce…. our very own Petals Rust Bucket!!!!

As you can see, we all 💗 it - and while we may not be tackling 2,500 miles ourselves, we will be packed into our 21-year-old convertible with 150,000 miles on the clock for the final glory let back to Wellingborough on Monday.

In the meantime, we are there in spirit, following the chaos, camaraderie and community that make this rally so special.

We are also celebrating every mile and every pound raised - an unbelievable £94,000 and counting - officially our biggest fundraiser EVER! 🎉💨👏

When we are carrying wounds from our own experiences of trauma and loss, it can be painful witnessing other people’s wou...
02/06/2026

When we are carrying wounds from our own experiences of trauma and loss, it can be painful witnessing other people’s wounds – we feel them too.”
Karen Burgess, Petals Founder and CEO

Following the Panorama documentary last night - and the many traumatic stories that have emerged since this maternity inquiry began, we are thinking of all those affected by pregnancy and baby loss. We know and appreciate the courage it takes both to share personal experiences - but also how triggering it can be to see and hear others in the news.

Bearing witness to the trauma of others matters, but so does caring for ourselves when those stories touch our own wounds.

Karen says: “Be mindful of this as we move though the revelations in the coming weeks. Limit the information you expose yourself to if you are struggling. Take care.”

Our thoughts are with all the families impacted. 🌸

23/05/2026

Oscar died aged only 4 weeks old, in May 2024. He'd been born healthy, but what should have been a manageable kidney issue led to an infection, resulting in sepsis.

His parents, Emily and James, share Oscar's story with us as James takes on a challenge - to run four half-marathons across four days. Each half marathon represents a week of Oscar's life - their son who, in their words, they "waited so long for".

Today is the final day James' challenge. He's raised an eye-watering, completely outstanding £9,264 for Petals - enough to fully fund Petals Counselling for more than 18 families.

James has been spurred by his colleagues, friends and loved ones through each of his runs. Petals is behind you every step too, James. What an amazing legacy you are creating for Oscar.

You can support James via his Justgiving: https://www.justgiving.com/page/james-keenan-1

Yesterday’s announcement of Michelle Welsh MP as the government’s first national Maternity Adviser marks a significant s...
21/05/2026

Yesterday’s announcement of Michelle Welsh MP as the government’s first national Maternity Adviser marks a significant step forward for maternity care in England.

Michelle has spoken openly about her own experience of birth trauma. Her lived experience, alongside years spent listening to thousands of families across the country, will now help shape national maternity reform at the highest level.

In her new role, Michelle will work with families, government, the NHS and maternity organisations to push for safer, more compassionate care for mothers, babies and families, with a strong focus on listening to women and tackling inequalities in maternity care.

At Petals, we’ve had the privilege of working alongside Michelle over the past year through our NHS partnerships supporting bereaved parents.

Our Founder and CEO, Karen Burgess, said:

“Michelle is not afraid to tell the shocking stories or have the difficult conversations - this is the tenacity and determination we need. We will support her to do the job that is needed, and bring hope to families whose lives have been devastated by failings.”

We look forward to continuing our work with Michelle, and to a future where every family receives safe, compassionate and equitable maternity care.

We are honoured to have been chosen as charity of the year by not one, but two amazing groups of women. The Long Melford...
15/05/2026

We are honoured to have been chosen as charity of the year by not one, but two amazing groups of women. The Long Melford Womens Institute and Chelmsford Ladies Circle, are both community groups who place fundraising and 'doing good' at the heart of what they do.

Long Melford WI chose Petals following the loss experienced by one of their members, Eloise, and when Sophie was selected as chair of Chelmsford Women's Circle for this year, she knew without hesitation who their charity would be.

The groups will be fundraising in numerous ways - organising clothes swaps, firework displays, Easter egg hunts, walks and much more besides. We are enormously grateful to every member for their efforts and for the difference they will make to the families who need Petals Counselling this year.

We’re so happy that six more incredible counsellors have joined Petals. As they are guided through our specialist traini...
14/05/2026

We’re so happy that six more incredible counsellors have joined Petals. As they are guided through our specialist training programme, we’ve been reflecting on what makes Petals counselling - and the incredible people who do it - so unique. So many clients tell us how special their counsellor was. Swipe to find out why…

[Image description:
Image one: A large group of Petals counsellors standing together and smiling at the camera.

Image two: Two counsellors sitting at a table at a training presentation/away day, one smiling over their shoulder at someone, one looking forward with her back to the camera.

Image three: A graphic of a yellow circle on a pink background. Inside the yellow circle are three text bubbles. One says ‘One of the most important questions we ask is…’ the one next to it says: ‘Why this work? Why Petals?’

Image four: A woman/Petals client has a laptop on her knee with a cup of tea on a table next to her. On the screen is a Petals counsellor, who is in an office.

Image five: a graphic featuring two blue bookmarks on the left of the slide. The top one says ‘Bespoke training’ on it. Next to it is a dark blue box that explains that the training guides counsellors to create a safe space that holds clients through the experience of counselling. The second bookmark say ‘Specialist insight’ and the blue box next to it explains what the training involves. The heading is ‘Specialist counselling needs our socialist training and there is a small illustration of a woman at a laptop.

Image six: a group of counsellors are watching a presentation on a big screen, and led by a woman wearing a white shirts and black trousers. She is standing next to a flip chart. The heading says ‘Petals counsellors are held too.’

This , we want to draw attention to the need for recognising the importance of culturally sensitive emotional support f...
12/05/2026

This , we want to draw attention to the need for recognising the importance of culturally sensitive emotional support for Black and Black mixed-heritage families affected by pregnancy and baby loss.

Today’s theme, Therapy after Baby Loss, reflects the heart of our partnership work with and , helping families access specialist counselling that is compassionate, inclusive and understands the unique experiences and inequalities Black families can face.

Since 2024, Petals, Tommy’s and Five X More have been working together to improve access to free baby loss counselling and support following miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal loss, TFMR and pregnancy after loss.

This partnership is at the core of our mission: that no one should have to navigate loss alone or feel unseen within their care.

If you or someone you know may benefit from support, families can access referrals to Petals counselling through the Tommy’s midwife-led helpline.

We see you, and are here for you.

equitablebereavementcare

This we wanted to share our thoughts on what the BBC drama Babies really revealed - namely, the mental health support ...
11/05/2026

This we wanted to share our thoughts on what the BBC drama Babies really revealed - namely, the mental health support bereaved parents are still missing.

We’ve previously talked about how Babies offered a raw, painful, realistic portrayal of recurrent pregnancy loss - but what resonated most deeply for us at Petals was the devastating (but unsurprising) absence of specialist mental health support for them afterwards.

At Petals, this is what we see every day.

Our counselling is not general bereavement support. It is specialist, structured, trauma-informed care that recognises the unique psychological impact of pregnancy and baby loss. This distinction is critical.

Clients often describe our model as life-changing - not because it removes grief, but because it helps make it feel survivable. And yet it is still too hard to access.

There is a desperate need for universal access to specialist baby loss counselling for every bereaved parent, regardless of postcode or circumstance.

We have the answer to many of the issues the couple went through in this series. We simply need the funding to ensure no couple is left to navigate this kind of trauma and grief alone. 🌸

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Downing Park, Station Road
Swaffham Bulbeck
CB250NW

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Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
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