One Step at a Time marathon charity walk to be 'a powerful day of community and remembrance'
Added by Love Business East Midlands | 2 October 2025
A 26-mile fundraising walk that will connect Nottingham landmarks including Trent Bridge and Meadow Lane, will be ‘a powerful day of community, remembrance and support for the city’s baby loss communities’, say the event’s organisers Forever Stars.
The Nottingham-based charity, which is dedicated to supporting bereaved families and raising awareness around baby loss, has its annual 'One Step at a Time' marathon walk on Friday 10 October 2025.
The event is a symbol of the challenging journey that families endure as they cope with the loss of a baby, as well as an opportunity for the Forever Stars’ and baby loss communities to unite in memory of their rainbow babies.
The 26-mile annual walk is part of a series of events organised by the charity’s army of volunteers to mark this year’s Baby Loss Awareness Week (BLAW), and Forever Stars’ own annual Pink and Blue Day.
This year’s walk is set to be bigger than ever before, with stops around the city, each supported by local Nottingham-based organisations. The walkers will meet around 7am on 10 October at The Harrington Arms, Sawley, then follow a scenic route first following the canal to Beeston, onto Meadow Lane, Trent Bridge and Holme Pierrepont, along the side of the River Trent, with the finish at The Boat and Horses Pub in Beeston.
Last year, the One Step at a Time fundraiser saw around 40 walkers take to the streets of Nottingham. This year, the charity says it is expecting even more brave walkers to take part, with more than 50 already registered. Participants are free to walk as far as they want whether that is one mile or all 26 miles.
Forever Stars’ Richard Daniels says:
“One Step at a Time is a fantastic event which is so much more than just a walk. Firstly, it is a tangible way to acknowledge the incredibly tough journey for families coping with the loss of a baby, aptly encapsulated by the walk’s name. Secondly, it is a powerful statement of solidarity with those who have experienced the devastating loss of a baby. Finally, it is an opportunity for us to walk together in memory of the babies we hold in our hearts, and for individuals, supporters and businesses, to come together to raise funds for Forever Stars.”
Forever Stars has raised more than £800,000 since Richard and his wife Michelle founded the charity in 2014, a few months after their daughter Emily was stillborn in December 2013, with the main aim of providing dedicated support to families living in Nottingham and the East Midlands who have suffered a stillbirth or infant loss. Among its many projects over the past 11 years, Forever Stars has funded the creation of a bereavement ‘Serenity Suite’ at each of the QMC and Nottingham City hospitals, and created and maintains a baby remembrance Serenity Garden in Nottingham. In 2024 alone, it delivered over 50 well-being and mental health support workshops, launched a support group for men affected by baby loss, and raised £50,000 for a renovation and refurbishment scheme for Ward A23 at QMC.
In 2025, Forever Stars’ flagship fundraiser is its Talking Through Tears campaign. Richard explains:
“This is aiming to raise £60,000 to help support as many baby loss siblings as possible who need that extra emotional support when dealing with the trauma of losing a baby in their family.
“All funds raised are and will go directly towards delivering vital emotional support for children impacted by baby loss. This includes specialist play therapy sessions designed to help children express grief in a safe, age-appropriate way, faster access to support to reduce waiting times during moments that matter most, and completely free play therapy sessions so that no family is turned away due to financial hardship.”
He adds:
“We have again chosen to hold the One Step at a Time walk during the annual Baby Loss Awareness Week, because this is a time focused on breaking the silence that surrounds the devastating loss of a baby by sharing stories and showing support for the thousands of families who experience the loss of a baby son or daughter, brother or sister.
“As well as the marathon walk, Forever Stars has a jam-packed programme of fun events throughout BLAW,” Richard says. “This kicks off with the Pink and Blue Ball, followed by our Chasing Stars Charity Quiz Night, and various cake sales, with the week finishing on a high with the One Step at a Time walk.”
For information about all Forever Star’s events throughout Baby Loss Awareness Week visit: Our Events Archive - Forever Stars. Visit the event page -https://www.foreverstars.org/events/one-step-at-a-time-26-mile-walk-for-baby-loss-awareness-week-2025/
For more details about and to sign up for the One Step at a Time Walk. Find out more about Forever Stars’ Talking Through Tears - https://www.foreverstars.org/talking-through-the-tears/ and to make a donation or fundraise, visit the campaign’s JustGiving page - https://www.justgiving.com/charity/forever-starsor email Forever Stars: enquiries@foreverstars.org.
