Derby Father Establishes Football Team for Bereaved Dads

A father who has experienced the loss of a child has established a football team in Derby, intended for other men who have also lost a child. Ben Wright’s son, Lachlande, died in 2023, 12 days after his birth, due to an infection known as necrotising enterocolitis (NEC). Mr. Wright, who was 21 years old at the time, was encouraged to join a football team in Nottingham designed for men who had lost a child. He indicated that his participation in the team helped him cope with his own grief, and he now “wants to offer help to dads based in Derby.” Mr. Wright and his partner, Shannon, were unable to bring their son home from the hospital because he became ill shortly after being born. He stated: “We were both struggling but I was trying to keep strong for Shannon, but I kept having bad days.” He mentioned that he consistently received “recommendation after recommendation” to contact Sands United FC, and the closest football team was located in Nottingham. Sands was founded as an offshoot of a national charity and has since provided support to individuals who have experienced miscarriage or baby death. It has now expanded to include over 30 teams across the UK, which offer support to bereaved families, including the newly formed team in Derby. “It just made me feel like I wasn’t the only one out there, there was other people who had been through similar experiences that I could speak to and interact with,” Mr. Wright said. “If I’m honest there is not enough out there. There isn’t enough out there for mums in general, but with dads you really have to dive deep into online searches trying to find something that’s suited to you as a person.” Mr. Wright reported that 12 players have already expressed interest, and he is currently seeking a permanent location for Sands United FC Derby to meet and train. “I want to get dads talking about their babies, acknowledge that they have gone through this and they’ve come out of the other side, that’s what I feel I have done,” he added. “I want a group of dads or other males that have been affected by it to come together have a chat, play a bit of football and just be a massive support group.”