FAMILY fundraisers and keen runners are being urged to sign up for a charity race day being held in Poole.

The Family Race Day is taking place at Upton Country Park on May 17 in aid of baby loss charity SPRING and features a 10k and 5k race, as well as a 1.5k fun run and family activities including segways, face painting and a bouncy castle.

Sarah Lister, from Christchurch, is organising the day, along with a team from her running club, Bournemouth Joggers, to raise awareness of SPRING after the charity supported her and partner Steve following the still birth of their first child, Fraser, last August.

Following a textbook pregnancy, Sarah, then 41, was taken for a Caesarean section at Poole Hospital when her labour stopped progressing.

But, despite having a strong heartbeat immediately before the operation, Fraser did not survive the birth.

A post mortem later found he had been born with an unrecognised condition where the bones in his skull had not developed properly, meaning the pressure of the birth had caused fatal head injuries.

Sarah and Steve were able to stay in the SPRING suite, a private room away from the main maternity wards, part-funded by SPRING, where they could also keep Fraser with them, with the help of a temperature mat, also provided by the charity, for a few days.

They also received invaluable support from SPRING once they had returned home from hospital.

Sarah said: "A lady called Julie White became our lifeline, I don't know how we would have got through this without her.

"SPRING does give you a different perspective on things. SPRING showed us that there was a way through it."

Sarah is now hoping more than 200 runners will take part in the Family Race Day, which is sponsored by Nationwide Building Society and supported by Asda, Active Therapy South and Purple HR and offers events for children, beginners and for families to enjoy together, as well as those for more serious runners.

She added: "It’s something where you can raise the profile of SPRING directly and indirectly.

"The whole thing about SPRING is about family doing things together so it’s representing what SPRING is all about.”

(BLOB) The Family Race Day takes place at Upton Country Park on May 17. The closing date for entries is May 1. To find out more, visit racedayforspring.co.uk, Facebook/racedayforspring, or springsupport.org.uk.