Warwick solicitor completes 100-mile charity challenge for baby loss charity

Arvi Samra started his business, Samra Legal Ltd, at the end of 2022 and decided to support this heartfelt charity due to personal experience.

Initially, Arvi set a target of 100 kilometres as he thought that was a more achievable target. He soon realised he could do more, raised the bar, and escalated his impact. Supporters then surpassed his £300 goal, which he reset to £500, then £800, until he eventually reached 154 per cent of his target.

As part of Arvi's challenge, he spent several hours running 70-80 miles around the Warwick Racecourse. His impressive racecourse achievement is then added to running a half marathon of 13 miles around Warwick and Leamington, as well as various other local runs.

'Arvi's 100 Miles Run for Tommy’s' fundraiser remains open so that contributors continue to add to the total. Visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Arvinder-Samra2

About his running challenge, Arvi said: "Tommy's charitable work is close to my heart. We all know someone who has been touched by miscarriage, so I wanted to help contribute to the charity's vital research. There is heartbreak and so many questions in the event of baby loss, and so we need further research, more support and stories of hope for those who experience a miscarriage."

The challenge became a timely nudge from Arvi to take part in Angela Crawley's government petition to 'Introduce paid miscarriage leave for parents who experience pregnancy loss'. Signatories requested parliament to consider parents who lose a pregnancy before 24 weeks as eligible to take three days of paid bereavement leave. This proposed entitlement would be an act of compassion and provide a time to grieve.

Arvi's paths crossed with Keeley Lengthorn, family solicitor and avid baby loss campaigner who supports the Miscarriage Leave Bill. After suffering three losses herself under 24 weeks, the most recent of which was her son George who was born sleeping at 22 and a half weeks in March 2022.

Ms Lengthorn said: "The Law as it currently stands means that when I left George at the mortuary, I had to return to work at 9am the very next day. Businesses having a baby loss policy in place and supporting the Miscarriage Leave Bill goes to the heart and core of a firm's well-being policy and shows employee support which can only be positive in terms of businesses reputation and will aid recruitment and retention. Any SSP entitlement does not kick in until day three, and so the three days being proposed by the Miscarriage Leave Bill would fill this gap in offering this statutory protection. The statistics speak for themselves that miscarriage happens to 1 in 4 people. That's 1 in 4 MPs and 1 in 4 constituents".

The petition is now closed; a link can be found here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/623254

Tommy's is a research and support charity for baby loss. It raises awareness of why miscarriage happens, if it is likely to happen again, how to prevent it and appropriate aftercare. Visit https://www.tommys.org