AFTER a generous donation, bereaved families at Basingstoke Hospital will have more time with their babies who have passed away.

A cuddle cot has been donated by Katie-Louise Gray, with the help of her husband Gary Gray and the British Airways Cabin Crew Entertainment Society (BACCES).

The money was raised from the BACCES performances of Robin Hood at the Beck Theatre in Hayes that took place earlier this year.

They donated £4,000 to Basingstoke hospital, to buy the cot, which allows the family to spend more time with their baby, making memories and allowing them to say goodbye.

When Katie’s daughter, Elena, was stillborn in March 2017, Katie stayed in the Butterfly Suite at Basingstoke hospital and the care she received inspired her to do something for others in a similar situation.

Katie said: “We wanted to give something back to the hospital, as being able to spend more time with Elena was really helpful to us in our recovery and we want to be able to help other families going through the same difficult time as us.

“The staff were incredible during my stay, they were always friendly and cheerful and they might not realise it, but that made such a difference to us.”

Jessica Rogers, midwife at Basingstoke hospital, said: “The kind donation of the cuddle cot is gratefully received by the midwifery bereavement team.

“One of the most important factors in bereavement care is the time a family can spend with their baby while in our care and the cuddle cot will enable this to happen.

“Ensuring we help families to create everlasting memories is just as important as the clinical aspect of midwifery care at this time and we are so grateful for Katie’s and BACCES hard work to ensure that families have the opportunity to do this.”