Unveiling of the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital, Glasgow Family Room project

Every bespoke Family Room project that SiMBA undertakes, involves teamwork, passion, empathy and understanding. The ultimate goals of all our Family Rooms are to ensure that bereaved families are supported and encouraged to spend precious time with their baby making memories in a tranquil and homely environment.  

This is the largest project that SiMBA has undertaken to date. The aim of the project was to ensure that anyone who has a loss, at any stage of their pregnancy or around the time of birth will be supported in a bespoke SiMBA room. 
 
Due to the pandemic, we were unable to formally unveil this project. It is our honour now, to be able to share with you, this video which we are so proud of. The video shows images of six bespoke SiMBA Family Rooms created to support and enhance the level of bereavement care in the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital, Glasgow.

Lisa Hague, SiMBA Ambassador and founder of the Lola Commons Fund for SiMBA said: “It’s been a difficult hurdle for the charity not being able to do an unveiling, and it was hard for me personally not being able to meet the fundraisers in person who made it possible to say thank you. However, I am overwhelmed, so proud, and incredibly happy to be able to share the video of the rooms. Although this project has Lola’s name on it, it is an effort of so many people who have made it happen; I am incredibly grateful to everyone. I am very excited about our forthcoming Family Room projects, unveiling this project virtually makes the ones to follow even more special. “ 

Throughout the project we worked very closely with bereaved families and the incredible team from the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital to ensure that each room meets the specific needs of the families and individuals in their care. This project was supported by the St Patricks' Day Ball Committee, The Schuch Trust, 43 individual fundraisers, and many individual donors, in total £75,120 was raised.  
 
In addition, we also held a wish list on Amazon where we invited families to purchase items for the Family Rooms, from duvet covers to coffee cups, and we were overwhelmed by the response that this received.  
 
Sara Fitzsimmons, MBE, MBA, RM and CEO of SiMBA said “The funds that were raised towards this project will help to support bereaved families who find themselves in one of our Family Rooms in the Princess Royal Maternity. The rooms also support the staff in the amazing work that they do. Every fundraiser who supported us in memory of their baby knows the difference that these rooms will make. It was so meaningful that families who had themselves been bereaved, were raising funds knowing that the money raised would enhance bereavement care for others. Staff from the PRM also got involved in the fundraising for this project, a testament to their caring profession. This project was an incredible achievement, and the empathy and understanding of everyone who supported this refurbishment from fundraisers, to suppliers, and the team in the PRM has been uplifting from the very beginning. I cannot emphasise enough the difference that Family Rooms can make, encouraging precious time together that is not rushed. These rooms have been created with passion, using the experiences and suggestions from bereaved families and staff.” 

We would like to thank Colin Fisher from CDF images for creating this video for us and composer MATTIA CUPELLI for allowing us to use his music in the background. 
 
We would also like to say a special thank you to Altro for very kindly donating the flooring for all rooms, to the Bell Group for supporting the project and donating the paint and to Grosvenor interiors for their ongoing support and advice on our family room projects. It is companies such as theirs that make projects like ours possible. 

We have been able to share some incredible stories from families who have used the rooms. You can read Bonnie and Odins story here: News | SiMBA Charity, Simpsons Memory Box Appeal 

You can also see a list of our upcoming projects here: Projects in Fundraising | SiMBA Charity, Simpsons Memory Box Appeal 

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