Burness goes pink and blue for Baby Loss Awareness Week

Law firm Burness Paull's Glasgow headquarters are to be illuminated in pink and blue lights to show support for Baby Loss Awareness Week 2018, which runs from 9 to 15 October.

The annual awareness week, now in its 16th year, is an opportunity for bereaved parents, families and friends, to commemorate babies’ lives and break the silence around pregnancy and baby loss in the UK.

The office at 120 Bothwell Street, along with all the buildings and landmarks turning pink and blue for the week, will be featured on an interactive map and Facebook album. Photos can be shared on social media tagged #BLAW2018.

Tamar Tammes, managing partner at Burness Paull, commented: "We hope turning one of the most prominent buildings in Glasgow’s business district pink and blue will spark conversations about baby loss and give local bereaved parents and families an opportunity to talk about their situation. In order to encourage such conversations we have set up monthly networking groups within each of our offices to discuss how best to support working parents and carers within our firm. Topics for discussion so far have included day-to-day challenges for working parents and carers and ideas for resolving and reducing the impact of those challenges, the sharing of caring responsibilities across families, and the difficult topic of baby loss.

“Partners and staff have contributed positively and openly – awareness is being raised, views respectfully challenged, understanding increased, perceptions changed, positive practice highlighted and promoted, and ideas for change generated and actioned. These sessions are just one of many initiatives our firm is undertaking as part of our diversity and inclusion agenda, and to encourage all of our people to feel confident about bringing their whole, best selves to work.”

Dr Clea Harmer, chief executive of Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity, added: “Baby Loss Awareness Week is a unique opportunity for parents to commemorate their babies who died, and I hope bereaved families in Glasgow seeing 120 Bothwell Street lit up pink and blue will feel less isolated and alone in their grief.

“Pregnancy loss or the death of a baby is a tragedy that affects thousands of people every year. It is devastating for parents and families and it’s vital they get the bereavement support and care they need, for as long as they need it.”