In The News DERBY SANDS SUPPORTS THE LAUNCH OF THE LAURA CENTRE DERBY APPEAL The Laura Centre in Leicester (www.thelauracentre.org.uk) provides free specialist bereavement counselling and therapies to parents who have lost a baby / child and to children who have been bereaved. The charity behind the Laura Centre is now trying to raise funds to bring the Laura Centre to Derby so that families in Derbyshire can benefit from this invaluable resource. On Wednesday May 25th 2011 the Laura Centre Derby Appeal was officially launched at Pride Park Stadium in Derby. Initially, £150,000 must be raised in order to fund premises and staff. Ongoing fundraising will then be needed in order for the service to continue running and expand. Derby Sands acknowledges that the Laura Centre Derby is desperately needed and will provide much needed ongoing professional support to its members and their families. To show their support several members of Derby Sands attended the launch and Kate Stanton is a Trustee of the Laura Centre Derby. Lou Evans commented "A Laura Centre in Derby will be invaluable for the parents at Derby Sands and their families who have experienced baby loss during pregnancy, labour or after birth. Every bereaved parent deserves to be able to access specialised child bereavement counselling and therapeutic support as soon as they feel ready for as long as they need. I urge the people of Derbyshire to be as generous as possible with this appeal". Kate Stanton added "The Laura Centre Derby will be there for families every step of the way and recognises the highs and the lows of this lifelong journey of learning to live for the future and not yearn for the past". Charity registration number 299679