‘ I was still grieving. I was happy but devastated at the same time’

A determined mum - who lost one of her twin daughters 15 years ago - is staging a determined fight to help other grieving parents.

Susan Jackson, who is closing in on a fantastic £150,000 target raised for charity. She is pictured with husband Stephen. | ugc

placeholder image — Susan Jackson, who is closing in on a fantastic £150,000 target raised for charity. She is pictured with husband Stephen. | ugc

Susan Jackson, 42, was devastated when identical twin Evie was stillborn in June 2010. Her twin sister Ella is now a bright and intelligent 16 year old who, like her mum, loves to fundraise and raise awareness.

Susan channelled her grief into helping others. She has amassed £132,000 for charity since her own heartbreak and said: “The twins were born a couple of weeks prematurely. I couldn’t feel a lot of movement and there was no heartbeat from one of the babies.”

Five coachloads of people setting off on one of the charity fundraisers which Susan has arranged every year since 2010. | ugc

Susan, who is married to Stephen, also 42 and lives in Hetton, said: “I started fundraising in the December of that same year. We have had Christmas markets for years as well as afternoon teas.”

Susan wants to reach the milestone figure of £150,000 raised by Christmas this year and has already topped £132,000.

She explained why fundraising and raising awareness was so important to her - because there still is so much to do to help people who have lost a child.

Look at the turnout for one of Susan's Christmas charity events. | ugc

“We are one of the richest countries in the world but in many ways we are also one of the poorest.”

Susan remembered the day when she pondered on whether to go to a counselling session for people who had lost a child, and felt she could not fit in.

“I felt I could not go because I still had a baby and the others did not. I was going home with a child but I was still grieving. I was happy but devastated at the same time.”

Sixty One in Pittington where one of Susan Jackson's charity fundraisers for the Tommy's charity will be held on Sunday, December 13. | Google Maps

Every year, Susan arranges trips to Leeds and this year, 5 coaches have been filled. But her determination to help others does not end there.

She has organised a night of Christmas shopping at Hetton Lyons Cricket Club, starting at 6pm on Thursday, December 3. Entry is free and any money raised will go to Tommy’s, the UK’s leading pregnancy research charity

She has also put together a Christmas market which will take place on Sunday, December 13, from 11am at Sixty-One Durham at Pittington.

There will be stalls, festive goodies, gifts and a visit from Santa and will also support Tommy’s.

To find out more on how you can support Susan’s fundraising, visit here.