THERE was double delight for a Balsall Common charity – not only have the founders been awarded an Honorary Doctorates from Coventry University but the are also set to receive a West Midlands High Sheriff Award.
Amy and Ryan Jackson, who founded the Lily Mae Foundation in 2012, named after their daughter and created two years after she was stillborn at full term, will be presented with Honorary Doctorates of Letters on November 22.
Amy, who completed a 36-hour gym challenge in aid of the charity, said: “We never expected to receive this award, the Foundation is our day-to-day, we see the benefits to the families we support and to see that work recognised by Coventry University is amazing, it’s come as a big surprise.”
Ryan said: “We started the Foundation because in 2010 we didn’t really feel there was this kind of support available to us on a local level at the time, there were national organisations, but sadly it just felt that in Coventry and Warwickshire there wasn’t the same access to these kinds of services.
“We don’t do this for reward, seeing families benefit from the support we offer is reward in itself, but I’d be lying if I said it’s not nice to be acknowledged for our work, it gives that extra boost to keep doing what we do and it’s incredibly humbling.”
The couple have also been informed they will be handed the West Midlands High Sheriff Award from High Sheriff Douglas Wright next month.
The award recognises and celebrates the work of individuals and organisations within the County who have made outstanding contributions to the community.
Speaking of the award Ryan told The Observer: “We weren’t really aware that this type of award existed and certainly would never have thought that we would even be considered for this type of award.
“This award will mean so much to us. It shows that our little girl is leaving such a legacy to help so many others. This makes us extremely proud and humbled to be recognised in this way.”
Over the years the Lily Mae Foundation has supported thousands of bereaved parents who have experienced similar heartbreak in the West Midlands, Warwickshire and Northern Ireland, raising in excess of £3million to help through an extensive range of support programmes.
The Charity has donated over 25,000 memory boxes to bereaved parents through their 14 partner hospitals that they support including Heartlands Hospital, University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire and Warwick Hospital.
The Memory Boxes allow the parents to collect memories and precious items and store them. They include vouchers for jewellery engraving, candles, clay print kit, ink print kit, photo frames, books, and two teddy bears.
The Foundation offers a range of programmes to bereaved parents, their families and friends and to the medical and social care professions from one to one support, support groups for those going through a pregnancy after a loss, support for dads a podcast and support for siblings.
