Bereaved parents use bears for back-to-school pics

The teddy bears represent children who have died

Bereaved families are posting pictures of teddy bears on their doorstep during back-to-school season to remember children who have died.

Sunderland-based charity 4Louis, which provides bereavement training and keepsake boxes to hospitals across the country, started the campaign.

Kirsty Knight, who set up the charity in memory of her stillborn son, said: "When your social media is being flooded with these beautiful photos, it's kind of when it hits you that my child should be starting school."

Amy Peel's daughter Lucie-Mae would have started nursery this year. She said it was emotional to take part as she could "see other parents who were going through exactly what I'm going through".

Mrs Peel, 34, from Sunderland, went into natural labour with Lucie-Mae in 2021 and only discovered her baby did not have a heartbeat when medical staff attempted to resuscitate her.

The family used a 4Louis memory box and the Louis bereavement room at Sunderland Royal Hospital, and have continued to work with the charity.

"It would have been the first time that she got to wear a school uniform," she said of taking a picture of her Lucie-Mae teddy bear on the doorstep.

"I've been thinking about that for the last few weeks and absolutely dreading it."

Amy Peel and her family were supported by charity 4Louis

Mrs Peel said: "It is a struggle and the emotions, no matter how much time goes past, it's still really raw.

"But things like this - being able to be a part of things - still really helps me personally."

The charity said it wanted to "hold close" families whose children were not there to hold their book bag and pose by the door, and to help prepare them for this time of year.

"Even as bereaved parents, every milestone affects us, no matter how many years down the line," Mrs Knight said.

The charity, which has been in operation for 15 years, said, as of October, it had provided 250,000 memory boxes to families.

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