Birthday Honours 2021: Baby loss charity founder appointed MBE

Zoe Clark-Coates is also co-chair of the government's ongoing national pregnancy loss review

The founder of a charity that helps parents cope with losing a baby has been appointed an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

Zoe Clark-Coates has worked to improve support for hundreds of thousands of families each year.

After losing five children in pregnancy she said she set up The Mariposa Trust with her husband Andy so others suffering loss "don't feel alone".

She described the award as an "amazing acknowledgement" of the charity's work.

The 46-year-old, who splits her time between Staffordshire and Devon, founded the charity in 2013.

'No idea where to go'

"I smile when I think about my babies because I am so glad they were ever here, even though their time was so short," she said.

"Often people ask me if I set up the trust to honour my babies and I can honestly say that wasn't why I set [it] up - I believe I can honour them every day in just my life.

"It was purely to help people who are broken-hearted, sobbing on a bathroom floor with no idea where to go."

Andy and Zoe Clark-Coates, who now have two daughters, lost five babies

The charity now reaches up to 50,000 people a week across the world.

Ms Clark-Coates said she had been left "extremely shocked" by the honours announcement.

"I don't think anyone does charity work expecting an accolade," she said.

"Our reward is to see those people we help moving forward in life, but this is such an amazing acknowledgement.

"Many people message with me weekly on Facebook and on my Instagram account, and I don't plan on ever stepping back from that, as the reason I set up the charity was to ensure no-one who goes through loss feels alone. "

Other honours recipients from Staffordshire include:

• Clifford Stott, 55, Professor of Social Psychology at Keele University, appointed an MBE for services to crowd psychology and the Covid-19 pandemic response.

• John Alexander, 63, from Loggerheads, consultant in paediatric intensive care, at the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust appointed an MBE for services to critically ill young people.

• Julia Bridgewater, 58, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, the group chief operating officer at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, appointed an MBE for services to the NHS particularly during Covid-19.

• Aida Haughton, 47, from Stoke-on-Trent, a housing support administrator at YMCA North Staffordshire, appointed an MBE for services to Remembering Srebrenica

• Tracey Maria Johnson, 56, from Stoke-on-Trent, formerly HR Director of Leek United Building Society, appointed an MBE for services to financial services during Covid-19.

• Siobhan Reilly, 60, from Stafford, regional chief nurse for the Midlands and East, at NHS England and NHS Improvement. Appointed an MBE for services to nursing and the Covid-19 response.

• Josepha Hannah Morris, 34, from Stoke-on-Trent, the managing Director of Woolcool. Appointed an MBE for services to manufacturing and the environment.

• Ian Noons, 59, of Yarnfield, custodial manager at young offenders institution Drake Hall, appointed an MBE for services to HM Prison and Probation Service.

• Corrine Boden, 50, from Stoke-on-Trent, appointed an MBE or services to the community, particularly during Covid-19.