TWO brothers from Highweek will be leading a special Starlight Walk in memory of their baby sister who was stillborn.

Tomorrow (Friday) Zach and Lucas Reeve with mum Jodie Lywood and stepdad Tom Phillips will be remembering baby Lottie, whose first birthday it would have been.

The walk at Highweek Primary School, where Zach, 10, and Lucas, nine, are pupils, has been organised with the help of school family liaison officer Eline Walker in support of and raising money for the national charity Sands which funds research and support for families who have been affected by stillbirth, miscarriage or cot death.

A JustGiving page has been set up which has already collected almost £500 in sponsorship.

Mum Jodie, who is now pregnant again, told the Mid Devon Advertiser that Lottie, who the couple already knew had Down’s Syndrome, was stillborn at 38 weeks.

She said they were given a memory box at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and had the use of a cold cot to be able to spend time with Lottie.

She said: ’We haven’t had counselling but have got great family support and have talked a lot together as a family.

’We received a booklet about Sands from the hospital but later I looked at the online resources and found it really useful with information on how you might be feeling as no one ever imagines themselves in this position.

’You feel completely lost and Sands gives you a bit of guidance with online forums and ongoing emotional support.

’It’s so important.

’It’s not something people talk about, they feel awkward and it’s painful.

’People don’t know what to say to you and no one knows how to deal with it.’

Jodie said the bereavement suite at the RD&E was beautiful and having the use of a cold cot, a refrigerated cot which allows parents to spend more time with their baby, was ’invaluable’.

Zach and Luke, she said, had been ’up and down’ but they have been amazing since they first heard.

Jodie said: ’We haven’t held anything back from them and they came to the funeral and burial which we felt was part of the process for all of us to be together.’

Jodie saw details about the Sands Starlight Walk online and wanted to raise money.

She contacted Highweek Primary School to see if they would be interested and the school agreed.

She said: ’Zach and Luke are so excited, this means the world to them and they can’t believe people are donating when the walk hasn’t happened yet.’

Eline said the school was keen to help support the charity.

She said: ’The family have had a lot of support from Sands and Jodie is keen to make talking about these experiences less taboo. She has been in contact with us all along so we’ve been able to support the boys.

’Fortunately Highweek Primary School has large outdoor grounds and we’ve had runs before on a route which is a track around the school. Eight times around is about one mile but anyone taking part can just do laps.

’We will be decorating the route with lights so it will be sparkling and beautiful.’

by ELLEN GRINDLEY