16 January 2020

Founder members of Twins Trust mingled with MPs and Lords at a special event to celebrate our 40th anniversary.

More than 120 volunteers, supporters, staff and trustees joined friends of the charity at a reception in the beautiful Cholmondeley Room in the House of Lords overlooking the River Thames.

In a moving speech, Lord Hodgson shared the loss he and his wife, Baroness Hodgson of Abinger suffered when their twin son died at birth 33 years ago.

He spoke of the grief he felt and how a midwife said to him matter-of-factly “you probably don’t want a photo” rather than offer kind words. He regrets to this day, not having a photo.

He praised our Bereavement Support Group and spoke about how important it was for fathers to grieve and not be forgotten in the process.

Judi Linney, MBE our co-founder and President delighted everyone with tales of how she took out a small personal loan to produce leaflets about multiple births showing her passion for the cause…her husband Howard (who didn’t know she’d done this!) forgave her. 

It was because of Judi’s passion and determination, along with a small group of twin and triplet mums and the late multiple birth expert, Dr Elizabeth Bryan, that the charity blossomed and has continued to grow.

The event was also a chance to share the hugely positive results that have come from our Maternity Engagement Quality Improvement Project.

Krista Pound, our chair of trustees and mum to 11-year-old twin boys shared the news that in 25 maternity units we have worked with there has been a 23% reduction in neonatal admissions, 18% reduction in neonatal deaths, 7% reduction in stillbirths and 6% reduction in emergency c-sections.

She said: Twins Trust is the only charity in the UK that actively campaigns for better care for families having twins, triplets or more and has this fantastic, world-first quality improvement project, that is already making a difference for our families.

“I’m so proud to be part of this charity.”