An award-winning Coventry and Warwickshire photographer has been celebrated by a regional kindness campaign for helping parents capture precious family moments with their new-born babies.
Monima Simpson-Smith, a professional photographer who since July 2020 has offered her time and talent to support parents at George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton through Remember My Baby, has been named as the December winner of Wright Hassall’s 175 Acts of Kindness campaign.
Remember My Baby is a UK-based registered charity which offers a gift of baby remembrance photography to UK parents experiencing the loss of their baby before, during or shortly after birth.
Monima, who with her husband Carl runs SimplyGreatShots, a professional photography service that operates nationwide, is supporting the charity’s aim to reach parents in every hospital and birth centre in the UK.
Wright Hassall, the Midlands law firm which is celebrating its 175th anniversary this year, has been asking the public to nominate members of the community who have gone above and beyond to support others.
A winner has been selected by staff each month to receive a £175 donation to be given to a charity of the winner’s choosing.
Monima, who completes the group of Coventry and Warwickshire volunteers, charity workers and fundraisers to be highlighted by the initiative, said: “This is a service that was either not available or not widely known about in the past.
“I take and retouch the images, with Remember My Baby providing additional training and support to ensure we provide a faultless service at an impossibly difficult time for parents.
“It is a cause that is extremely close to my heart, so to have this chance to give something back means a lot to me, and I’d like to thank Wright Hassall for their role in helping more families in the region learn about Remember My Baby through its Acts of Kindness campaign.”
Robert Lee, Corporate Partner at Wright Hassall, said: “Monima joins an inspiring collection of people who have been making a difference on our doorstep, with each one deserving to have their hard work and selflessness celebrated.
“She is providing an invaluable service to parents in and around Warwickshire, and I hope this award will go some way to raising the profile of Remember My Baby so that more can access and support this remarkable cause.”
Caption: Robert Lee, Corporate Partner at Wright Hassall and Monima Simpson-Smith