THE founder of a charity designed to help parents cope with the loss of a baby is pushing herself to the limit with a series of gruelling challenges.

Dunbar’s Sara Fitzsimmons is marking the 10th birthday of SiMBA (Simpsons Memory Box Appeal) by attempting to complete six challenges.

Already, she has completed a 26-mile Kiltwalk, climbed her first Munro, walked on fire and walked 20 kilometres.

On Sunday, she scaled Scotland’s biggest mountain – Ben Nevis – and in October she will walk 100 miles along the John Muir Way from Kirkintilloch back to Dunbar.

Sara, from Bruntsfield Crescent, told the Courier she was determined to do something to mark the 10th birthday of the charity, which is based on the town’s Spott Road.

She said: “The biggest achievement was climbing the Munro, Schiehallion (near Aberfeldy).

“That was the most challenging, getting to the top of that was really good.

“We’ve got one other person recruited for the 100-mile walk and got a few others interested.

“We are trying to get a team of 12 together.

“The man [who has signed up] lost twins last year and he just wanted to do something in recognition of that.

“Everybody has got their own reason for doing this.” The 100-mile walk in October is spread over five days, with the team returning to the county at the end of day three when they walk from South Queensferry to Musselburgh.

Day four is from the Honest Toun to North Berwick and the final day is from North Berwick back to Dunbar.

Sara added: “I think we are going to have a reception back at the office when we are finished.

“Originally, it was going to be walking north to south but that was cancelled.

“I quite liked the idea of walking the John Muir Way and the guys who are arranging it, who take your luggage and give you maps, emailed me to say it would be 97.5 miles from Kirkintilloch to Belhaven Beach.

“It’s then about two and a half miles from there to the office.” The charity was founded in October 2005 in recognition of the “very traumatic experience” for a family when they lose a baby.

Since then, SiMBA has created family rooms within maternity units to offer parents the chance to spend further precious time with and prepare to say goodbye to their baby in peaceful and private accommodation.

Similarly, ‘trees of tranquillity’ have been created, with each leaf on the sculpture to represent a baby, where a name or message can be engraved, as well as memory boxes, containing mementos such as ‘the blanket of love’, birth acknowledgement certificate, hand and foot prints and in some cases photos.

Sara, 44, said: “I had started the charity 10 years ago by going to a group of friends.

“I said I wanted to start a group to give something to parents who had lost a baby.

“I said I wanted to fundraise but I never thought the charity would be across the UK.

“I believe the parents walk a difficult journey every day.”