TESCO in Alloa has launched a project that aims to offer practical support to families coping with the loss of a child.

The local supermarket has teamed up with the bereavement service within the women and children's unit at Forth Valley Royal Hospital.

Through the initiative it hopes to raise money for memorial ornaments, along with furnishing suites at the Larbert facility.

It has also started a collection for brand-new or hand-made clothing for youngsters who are unwell, as well as special burial items.

Melanie Mitchell, community champion at the outlet, is keen to assist the service and to also raise awareness.

She said: "The overall aim of the project is to provide practical support to families for an event that no one anticipates or prepares for.

"We can't help them feel better emotionally, but we can give them a more homely and less clinical environment to spend time with their infant."

Work on the project is already well underway and colleagues can donate items for suites in the maternity unit and the ante-natal clinic, in a bid to make them more comfortable.

Fundraising will also take place in order to purchase copper leaves that can be engraved with the name of the child and placed upon the memorial tree in the spiritual centre, where they will stay for a year before being returned to parents.

In addition, customers have started handing in clothing items for the hospital and people can pick up knitting, crocheting or fabric patterns at the service desk if they would like to craft their own.

It is a project the whole community can get behind and Melanie stressed that even if people haven't been personally affected, it happens more often than they imagine.

She said: "In all likelihood everyone will know someone who has lost a baby even if they don't realise it.

"By drawing attention to the need for the bereavement suites and burial clothing it's also a way to raise awareness of the need to support families in what becomes very isolating, because people tend to not talk about the baby to avoid upsetting the family but acting as if the baby never existed is upsetting itself.

"As well as the knitted items the unit can use any brand of baby-grows, vests, mitts, booties and hats from as small as is sold up to three months, as it's not only premature babies on the unit.

"If people want to donate money, that's absolutely fine – we'll use it to buy the leaves for the memorial tree and more items for the rooms."

The shop is building upon work it has done previously for the neonatal unit – collecting clothes, knitted items and memorial pieces – and the project will be a long-term one.

Catriona Addison, NHS Forth Valley bereavement adviser, said: "We are very grateful to the local Tesco staff in Alloa for supporting our bereavement service.

"The money raised and items donated will be used to help improve facilities for local families who have experienced a bereavement and ensure they have access to comfortable, peaceful accommodation where they can spend time together.

"We really value the support of local community groups and organisations across Forth Valley and look forward to working with the local community champion on a range of projects over the coming year."

For any questions on how to donate or help, contact Melanie in-store or drop her a private message on Facebook – search for Tesco Alloa Community Group.