'I felt like my world had crumbled': Telford father prepares to take on 320-mile charity bike ride after tragic loss of son

James Gibney, 36, will be riding all the way from Lands End to The Princess Royal Hospital in less than 24 hours this weekend to raise money for baby loss support charity, the Lily Mae Foundation.

The foundation provides support for parents and families who have tragically lost a baby, through memory boxes, counselling, monthly support groups and a weekly podcast.

James and his wife Rosie, who live in Wellington, have called the charity their lifeline, after they tragically lost their son Teddy on December 29, 2021.

Rosie, 34, told us of the day their world stopped.

She said: "They kept a close eye on me during the pregnancy due to a couple of complications, I always opt to have an elective c-section so we'd chosen the day for him to be born at 37 weeks.

"In the lead-up, I'd had a few episodes of no movement, but the day before I was due to go in I realised I hadn't felt him move for a while.

"So James dropped me off at the hospital, Covid rules were still in place then so he couldn't come in. After that it was a bit of a blur, I just remember the midwives calling James.

"Then they put us in a room and said those dreaded words: 'I'm sorry, there's no heartbeat'. It was about seven hours before the elective c-section.

"You just go into shock, it was awful. I felt like my world had crumbled. Leaving him was the most difficult thing I've ever had to do."

Rosie said the couple spent "three wonderful days" with Teddy, and with the help of the Lily Mae Foundation they were able to create memories with Teddy, with casts and ink prints of his little hands and feet to remember him by.

She said: "Without that guidance, you wouldn't know what to do, you're a zombie. It was absolutely invaluable."

The foundation has also provided the family with a support system, linking them up to other survivors of baby loss, and their two daughters, Betsy, 9 and Ruby, 14 with sibling support groups.

The week after the loss of Teddy, and 12 years after first becoming a couple, James and Rosie found out they had won a wedding at Netley Hall in Dorrington. Their reception took place in the hall's Hope Edwards suite.

"Teddy's first name is Edward," Rosie said, "It all felt like a gift from him."

Teddy was buried close to Lands End in Cornwall, a special place for the couple and where James grew up. In the lead-up to his funeral, James, accompanied by his father, travelled with Teddy to his final resting place.

Now, on Saturday, James will make the same journey in reverse, to raise money for the foundation that they credit with helping them through their darkest moments.

But this time, James will be on his bike, aiming to complete the 320-mile journey in less than 24 hours, accompanied by a few of his close friends.

The pair are aiming to raise £5,000, to donate or to read more of their story, go online to: justgiving.com/page/james-gibney-1697102860965