A heartbroken mum says she is unable to carry on with her charity helping parents cope with baby loss after she was reported for being an unregistered charity.

Heavenly Footprints, which looks to raise awareness of baby loss and offer support to those experiencing it on the island, was set up by Laurie Shipsides who, herself, lost two babies.

The charity aims to provide support to those suffering the bereavement of baby loss and ensuring they do not face the trauma alone.

Laurie did originally apply to register as a charity but was told she did not need to if she received less than £5,000 in income.

She insists she does not receive any income nor does she ask people for donations and uses her own money for projects.

Posting on the Heavenly Footprints Facebook page, Laurie explained: ‘Unfortunately, I have some really bad news as someone has reported me to the Attorney General Chambers for being an unregistered charity.

‘I am unfortunately unable to carry on with Heavenly Footprints. I am absolutely heartbroken that someone has decided to go out there way and report me for being an unregistered charity when I have never accepted money donations off anyone.

‘I also had a conversation with the government when I tried to register the charity and I was told due to not accepting money donations or an income of any sort, I would not need to be registered.’

After receiving a wave of support, Laurie posted a further message on the Facebook page.

She said: ‘Thank you so much for your lovely messages of support, it means the absolute world to me.

‘I’m so very sad that someone went out their way to report me for being an unregistered charity

‘I just wanted this to be free support and a free open and safe space for people to talk and share their stories. For me it was about raising awareness of baby loss and child loss as they are such taboo subjects.

‘After being through two losses myself I wanted to make sure people didn’t feel alone as I know, when I lost both of mine, I felt so alone even surrounded by loved ones.’

Laurie explained how she was devastated after hearing she had been reported to the Attorney General’s Chambers.

She said: ‘I am truly disappointed. I have always bought things out of my own pocket, such as the boxes, the candles, the bracelets, the angels, the paper and I made the certificates of life myself in my own time.

‘I had items handmade for me by amazing kind people and also donated items to the Jane Crookall maternity ward and Special Care Baby Unit. I also sent thank you cards and keyrings, etc. to people with my own money.

‘I have always stated in every post that I don’t accept money donations and that if anyone did wish to they can donate any money to the four charities on the island - A Little Piece of Hope, Arlos Adventure, the Sleeping Angel Wood and Wish Upon a Dream IoM.

‘I won multiple awards for this page and I am even a member of the Baby loss Awareness Alliance.’

Laurie went on to describe how shocked she was that someone could report her when she is only trying to help others.

She said: ‘I’m absolutely heartbroken. I have spent the night crying my eyes out that someone has been so cruel to do this when I have a three-month old rainbow baby (a healthy baby born after losing a baby to miscarriage) who, instead of me spending time with and having cuddles as we normally do, has had to see me crying my eyes out.

‘It was only me doing Heavenly Footprints so I did all this in my own free spare time.’

The Register of Charities is administered by the Attorney General Chambers who say the rules around charities being exempt if they have an income of less than £5,000 doesn’t apply in the Isle of Man and, so long as they carry out charitable activities, they must register.

A spokeswoman said: ‘In England and Wales, we understand that there is no requirement to register where income is below £5,000. But, on the Isle of Man, there is no income requirement and all charities must register, unless an exemption applies.

‘There are certain organisations which may be ‘not for profit’ which do not have to register, for example some religious or ecclesiastical charities, and others who are not carrying out wholly charitable activities for the public benefit, or have no substantial and genuine connection to the Isle of Man.’

But even if a charity has not registered, the Attorney General Chambers say enforcement action would only be a last resort.

The spokeswoman said: ‘As regulator of charities, our approach is one of engagement and explanation prior to enforcement.

‘In a case where an organisation holds itself out as a charity (i.e. referring to itself as a charity, carrying out charitable activities or requesting charitable donations of money or in kind), the Charities Registration and Regulation Act 2019 (section 8), provides that it is a criminal offence to do so, without being registered.

‘If it comes to our attention that a charity may breach this provision, we will first ask the organisation for confirmation of its activities, prior to considering any enforcement action. Enforcement is very much a last resort.’