Football club aims to support North Dorset's bereaved dads

There are a number of Sands United football teams around the country, linked to the stillbirth and neonatal death charity, Sands.

A new branch of the club is being set up in Salisbury, to support North Dorset fathers and give them a support network.

Sam Woolford is the manager of the team, and says his experience of losing his daughter last year showed him there's a need to provide help to the men involved:

"Although there was lots of support groups for grieving parents, they were mostly catering towards grieving mothers, and (Sands United) wanted an alternative method of coping - using that team camaraderie and spirit to just know that you're being looked after really.

"It's a difficult team to recruit for, because people don't offer this information. I discovered after losing my daughter that a lot of people I've known for many years have been through similar things and I never knew. It can be quite a hard thing to get people to admit to and want to talk about and therefore get involved."

Sands United FC Salisbury is gradually building up its player numbers, with its catchment area covering North Dorset.

Club Captain Rob Maddison played for the branch in Southampton last season, but is now moving to his local club.

He says being part of the set up has really helped him deal with his loss:

"It's probably saved my life. After I lost my daughter last year, I just didn't know what to do or how to exist. Sands United effectively took me under their wing and as a result I found that love of football, and just generally being part of something where you're all in the same boat. Sometimes it goes unspoken, but you know that everyone on that team is there because they've experienced the same thing as you.

"The football acts as a bit of buffer really, it's a common interest and then what it allows for is discussion to come from that if it's needed or wanted. It's a collective things that we do, but we do it for a reason - to represent the babies that we've lost and it feels special because of that."

The team's set to start training at Bulford Camp, near Salisbury in the coming weeks, as soon as the new sports facilities they're due to use have been completed.

It's hoped they'll be able to join a local league for next season, as well as playing charity games and raising awareness of baby loss.

If you're interested in taking part, you can contact Sands United FC Salisbury on their social media links above, or by emailing sufcsalisbury@gmail.com

They're also looking for sponsorship and financial support to get up and running - there's details of that on their fundraising page.