A DAD who received help from a men's bereavement charity after the death of his baby girl has expressed his joy after receiving backing to open a base for the cause.

Dan and Jade Hill, of Fir Tree Walk, Lowton lost their daughter Isabella who passed away when she was only eight days old at Liverpool Women’s Hospital in 2013.

He joined Daddys With Angels the following year, which is a charity run by grieving dads and offers support to fathers across the world.

And now the charity has secured just under £10,000 of National Lottery funding which has helped it to move into its first premises at The Garry Kay Centre on Spinning Gate in Leigh in October.

Dan, 47, who became a director of the organisation in March, said: "I am absolutely chuffed to bits we have got the grant.

"It will give us a base for people who have never heard of us to come to.

"Dads usually take a lot on to protect their own families.

"It took two-and-a-half years for someone to ask if I was OK.

"It can be very difficult to open up in front of partners.

"I realised that there was no support for dads suffering with bereavements and a national charity turned me away.

"There was nowhere I knew where dads could talk."

Leigh Journal:

Dan with his family. From left; Tabitha, eight, Dan, Jade, Meredith, two, Charlie, 18, Mason, nine, and Georgia, 17

Daddy With Angels founder Paul Scully-Sloan, from Northampton, who Dan praised as an "amazing guy" set up the charity eight years ago. Sadly he died from cancer in February.

There are volunteers available to chat online in the UK, USA, Australia, South Africa and the Netherlands, ensuring there is 24-hour support for dads.

The charity also has a group to support families as a whole too.

"We give dads a safe place to grieve," Dan said.

"I would say I’m stronger now because I am able to help other parents, and in particular, the dads that turn to us."

Leigh Journal:

Daddys With Angels founder Paul Scully-Sloan and Dan Hill

Paul asked Dan to take an active role in the organisation after noticing his campaigning skills.  

Three years ago Dan won the Inspirational Father of the Year award at the The Butterfly Awards.

He was nominated after the success of the Justice for Isabella Hope Facebook group he set up with his wife Jade led to the British Association of Perinatal Medicine implementing a policy to prevent other babies from dying in the same way as their daughter Isabella.

Leigh Journal:

Dad with his Inspirational Father of the Year award in 2016

After her birth, Isabella had a central venous catheter (CVC) fitted to feed intravenous fluids, blood products and nutrition but it was not positioned correctly and she died from complications.

At her inquest, Dan and Jade discovered there was no national policy on the use of CVCs.

They then set up a campaign to put a policy in place that doctors must take an X-ray if a CVC is moved to make sure no damage has been caused.

It was estimated that one baby died every week due to the issue.

Dan says by the time Isabella would have been 21, the policy change will have saved 1,000 babies.

Despite their daughter's death and Jade suffering 11 miscarriages, the couple remain optimistic about their lives.

"We are the luckiest unlucky people in the world and we have five children," Dan added.

Dan also reserved praise for Wigan Council in helping the charity to secure its town centre base.

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Leader of the council, Cllr David Molyneux, said: “Through The Deal, we are committed to working directly with community groups so they can support local people. 

"We’re also committed to helping businesses in Wigan Borough to thrive. 

"Combining both of these priorities really does amount to something special.

“I’d like to commend Dan for all of his inspirational work campaigning with his wife, Jade, to protect neonatal and premature babies following the death of their daughter Isabella. 

“The work they deliver is truly invaluable and as a council we have been privileged to support Dan so he can help even more families experiencing troubling times. 

“Mark from our business engagement team has been particularly integral by connecting Dan with a number of organisations who have supported the group with business development and digital skills. 

"We’ve also been able to help Dan engage with the Wigan Borough Community Partnership, which led to them to securing a fantastic, central premises to deliver their services from.

“Daddys With Angels offer an amazing service to families in the borough and beyond and we look forward to continuing our working relationship.”