Sands Scottish Network Day

Easterbrook Hall- 8th June 2013

We were delighted to play host to the annual Sands Scottish Network day on the 8th June at Easterbrook Hall. The Network day is a day where Sands members, groups and health care professionals from all over Scotland come together to “Network” share ideas and learn.

This year we were very fortunate to host some of the highest calibre speakers. We had Sally George from ARC (antenatal research & choices), Catriona Thompson an organisation & development midwife at Cresswell, Robin Fergusson from Police Scotland Family Liaison Unit and Meg Evans, Perinatal Pathologist in Edinburgh talking about post mortem.

Ewan Cannon photographer helped us make a film about Margaret, a lovely lady we met who’s baby daughter was stillborn in 1947 “Margaret’s Story” which we showed at the start of the day as our personal story. It was very moving to hear Margaret speak of the events after all those years.

At lunchtime we enjoyed networking with other groups and had 2 displays from Lynda Burns, a local artist who has done a lot of beautiful work for D&G Sands, and Amanda Trotter who has just started her own company “Keepsakes” and makes jewellery or casts of babies’ handprints and footprints. Amanda has kindly donated 10% of her sales to D&G Sands. We enjoyed a delicious hot buffet lunch by Easterbrook Hall and the weather was so nice that we all got to sit on the terrace and enjoy the sunshine too.

The day was finished off with a beautiful song written and sung by Bobby Holly, “My little Star” which he wrote in memory of Cairn Dalton. Bobby is a singer songwriter from Annan and is studying music in Perth. His song was hauntingly beautiful.

We are grateful to all who came and to those who helped us organise a very successful day. Forth Valley Sands have agreed to host next year’s Network Day.