During Baby Loss awareness week, the charity Abigail’s Footsteps will premiere a new training film for midwives and health professionals
On 10 October, at the start of Baby Loss awareness week, the charity Abigail’s Footsteps will premiere its latest film ‘Deafening Silence 2’ at the Curzon Soho in London. The film a sequel to the ground breaking ‘Deafening Silence’ will form part of the Abigail’s Angels Training programme for midwives and health professionals around the world to better understand how to support bereaved parents and families.
‘Deafening Silence 2’ focusses on the experience of mothers having a second child, following a still birth or neo-natal death and is the sequel to ‘Deafening Silence’ the hard-hitting training baby loss film for midwives. Written and directed by Chris Godwin, the first film had an immediate impact, leading to positive changes in maternity wards and this second film is destined to also have a huge impact in the care that is offered.
The new film tells the story of a mother’s psychological struggle to embrace the birth of her second child, following the neo-natal death of her first. It features a stellar cast with credits ranging from Killing Eve to Harry Potter and Netflix’s Sandman. The new film aims to build on the success of the first and help midwives to reflect on their interactions with mother’s returning for their second child following a bereavement.
The ‘Deafening Silence’ won, a GOLD EVCOM for Best Drama and Best Charity film, second prize at the Viewster International Film Festival, and has currently had 445,000 views on YouTube. Prize money and support from the Burdett Trust for Nursing and the Colyer Ferguson Charitable Trust has funded the follow up film.
David Ward, charity Co-Founder and Trustee, Abigail’s Footsteps, said, “We are immensely proud of ‘Deafening Silence’ and everything it has achieved. We created a beautiful legacy for our daughter Abigail, which has helped train midwives around the world, as well as help families have a better understanding about stillbirth. We knew without doubt there was a need for a second film and are grateful to everyone that has made this possible, including the Colyer-Fergusson Charitable Trust and The Burdett Trust for Nursing. We hope this second film goes on to have an even greater impact and helps enhance our Abigail’s Angels Training Programme funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.”
To find out more about Abigail’s Footsteps visit www.abigailsfootsteps.co.uk
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Notes to Editors
The film will be screened at 10 am on Monday 10 October at the Curzon Soho, 99 Shaftesbury Ave, London W1D 5DY. The screening will be followed by a Q and A.
To request a ticket/s to attend the premiere please email Faye.Hill@abigailsfootsteps.co.uk
About Abigail’s Footsteps
Abigail’s Footsteps is a baby loss charity providing support and counselling for bereaved parents and families as well as specialist bereavement training for midwives and healthcare professionals.
Since 2010, they charity has worked to improve the way bereaved parents are cared for by hospitals and to better educate midwives about how to care for grieving parents. Sadly, stillbirths and neo-natal deaths occur daily, yet many hospitals are not equipped to deal with the parental care required.
By working with medical professionals to understand the issues and seek solutions Abigail’s Footsteps has helped many families across the UK. Donations allow the charity to distribute Abi Cooling cots, which give parents valuable time to spend with their baby before saying goodbye across the country.
About Baby Loss Awareness Week
In its 20th year Baby Loss Awareness Week is an opportunity to bring together anyone touched by pregnancy and baby loss to give them a safe and supportive space to share their experiences and feel that they are not alone.
