A baby loss charity has launched an innovative new app specifically designed to help grieving families across the UK. Baby Loss Retreat, an organisation based in Glasgow, offers specialised bereavement counselling and retreats. The charity has been a lifeline for many since opening its doors to families who experienced loss in 2018.
Erin’s App was officially launched recently at The Scottish Funeral Awards in Glasgow, where Baby Loss Retreat was the official partner chosen to benefit from generous donations. Now the charity is encouraging businesses and other organisations to share access to the app.
Erin's Legacy
Julie and Bryan wanted to provide a gentle digital companion for families navigating baby loss. Speaking afterwards, CEO and co-founder Julie Morrison said: “We are delighted to share that Erin's App is now available to download for free by anyone with an iPhone or Android. We created a gentle, compassionate resource designed to meet families where they are in their grief journey. The app provides clear, accessible answers and support when families are ready to receive it. It has been thoughtfully designed with soft, comforting colours and an intuitive approach. Erin’s App welcomes families in, offering a sense of solace and care during an incredibly difficult time. We want to make the app available to as many people as possible across the UK and are appealing to all businesses to display our QR code for their staff to access.”
Digital Support
Scan the QR code to load the app. Making the announcement was an especially poignant moment for Julie and her husband and charity co-founder Bryan. They founded Baby Loss Retreat in February 2018 in memory of their daughter Erin, who was stillborn in 2003 at 37 weeks. After experiencing the heartbreak of losing their baby and being part of the Ashes scandal in Scotland, the couple felt compelled to support others going through a similar pain.
Julie added: “At a recent baby loss retreat, families shared the profound challenges they faced when grieving the loss of a baby. Many spoke of the difficulty in finding reliable information, emotional support, and guidance during what may be the most painful period of their lives. Our hope is that every parent who opens the app feels understood, supported, and less alone. Erin’s App isn’t just a tool; it’s a companion through grief.”
The main aims of the app are to support families after they leave hospital. Crucially, it is about reducing isolation, which Julie explained is a big part of why baby loss feels like a taboo subject.
Family Testimonial
Simon and Emma Gilmour sadly lost their little boy, Mason, in September last year at 39 weeks gestation. They say the app, designed by Louis McClymont, will help families who experienced loss, like they did, and need somewhere to turn. Simon said: “It’s very helpful from the point of view of providing resources for people to access when they need it. It’s such a horrific shock when it happens that you often don’t have any idea of who to contact. Sadly, the support we received from the NHS once we left the hospital was virtually non-existent, and we had to depend on charities such as Baby Loss Retreat. Without them, we wouldn’t have been able to get through the last seven months. Hopefully, as time goes on, and people become more aware of Erin’s app, the forums will become a feature that people can access and be able to message each other for support.”
Several businesses in Scotland have agreed to display the QR code directing people to the app, including hotels, florists, and a taxi company, but the charity wants as many as possible to join them. Baby Loss Retreat can be contacted for details of how to support the charity and display the QR code for the app with information that has already helped so many. For more information on the charity, visit www.babylossretreat.org.uk.
