'Mile in Memory' of baby Archie

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Capita TVL worker Vicky Green and her partner Lee Morris (pictured) led 150 people in a walk around an Essex park on Saturday in memory of their baby son Archie, who tragically died last summer aged just three months.

Their second child, Archie had been a healthy baby - "as strong as an ox," recalled Vicky, and with a "cheeky smile," according to Lee, who added that his son had "never slept through the night."

On that tragic night last August, Vicky woke at around 2am, surprised that Archie hadn't stirred for some four hours. "He always woke up around then for his feed," she said and then went on to describe her mounting alarm when she went over and picked him up and found that he wasn't moving at all.

"I started screaming and then Lee came in the room and we immediately called an ambulance while Lee tried to resuscitate him," Vicky recounted and Lee explained how he kept trying - being advised over the phone - while the frantic couple awaited the ambulance.

When they arrived, the ambulance staff took over the emergency aid and rushed Archie to hospital, but he never recovered.

Lee and Vicky first made contact with the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) some three of four months later - "we just wanted someone to talk to and we found the details of FSID online," said Lee, and the pair talked about how the cot death charity works to provide counselling, support and 'befrienders' - volunteers, often people who have suffered a similar loss themselves and who are there to talk to people like Vicky and Lee.

"We found FSID an enormous help," Vicky continued, "and as well as helping and supporting people like us, they also fund research and work closely with the health service - but FSID is not government funded and all of its work is entirely dependent on donations and on fundraising events like today's."

0Saturday's walk - in Mayesbrook Park in Dagenham - was one of many 'Mile in Memory' walks aimed at raising funds for FSID's work while also providing an occasion for families and their friends and neighbours to come together and remember a young child who has tragically died.

With bright balloons and T-shirts bearing a photo of Archie - beaming his 'cheeky smile' - the procession made a colourful sight as it wound its way by the side of the park's lake and through the children's play areas.

And the many children on the walk - led proudly by Archie's big sister four-year-old Grace - ran ahead waving their balloons and chasing each other, cheering and laughing as they went.

But among the laughter and smiles there were a few tears too - halfway round, Grace fell and banged her knee, but after a few minutes on dad's shoulders, she got back in the 'race' and finished the mile-long course.

"It's been a great day," said Lee afterwards, "It's been great today. I'm really pleased with the turnout - around 150 people have come and done the Mile in Memory Walk for Archie - and it's been a lovely day."

Vicky's father, Steve Green (pictured far right with Vicky, Lee and Grace), who also works for Capita TVL, said that the family were hoping, with the day's event, another fundraising social event and raffle that had been held the day before and further donations - including a cheque for £700 from the CWU London no. 7 branch that Vicky and Steve belong to, which was handed over by Capita territorial rep Trevor Clark - to reach a total of £20,000 for FSID, funds which would, he said: "Make a huge difference in supporting the amazing work they do."

Donate to the fund in memory of Archie by visiting: Archie's Mile in Memory. http://www.justgiving.com/Lee-Morris3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Find out more about the work FSID do by visiting: Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths. http://fsid.org.uk/page.aspx?pid=474" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;