FAQs
We hope the following information helps, but please don't hesitate to contact us if you still have a question
How long will my order take to arrive? Where is my order?
How do I get my baby's foot / hand prints to you?
I don't have my baby's footprints. Can I still order a personalised footprint gift?
I seem to have been charged postage for each item ordered. Is this right?
I really like the poems and or quote you have on your website. Am I able to use these elsewhere?
I would like to speak with someone on the phone, but there is no contact number.
Are you a profit making company?
How long will my order take to arrive?
Please check and read carefully our waiting times page here. This page reflects how busy we are at any particular time and is updated regularly, although we of course will send / make gifts sooner wherever possible (see below).
We understand just how important special dates and anniversaries are so please ensure that you contact us before placing your order if you need your gift before the times shown, so that we can let you know if we can manage this or not. If we have not confirmed via email that we can meet a date for you, then this may not be possible.
Will my baby's foot / hand prints taken by the hospital be suitable for a piece of jewellery/ personalised gift?
Yes. Whether they were taken using an inkless wipe, or a paint wipe, we can still transfer your baby's prints onto a personalised gift where stated. We understand that the prints taken may not always be the best quality, or that your baby's hand / footprints may be very small and of course we understand that these prints can not be taken again and are very precious. Almost all of the images we have been sent we have been able to work with. Please read below about how to send your baby's prints to us and email them to us first if you are in any doubt.
How do I get my baby's foot / hand prints to you?
We never ever ask for the original prints for your baby, as these are just far too precious to send.
- If you have access to a scanner (either yourself, via friend or even using a camera shop like Jessops maybe), then a scanned image works really well that can then be emailed to us.
- Alternatively a really clear digital photo taken of the prints is also fine. Please make sure that you use the macro setting on your digital camera to get the best possible image as this setting is for close up detailed images. You may need to have a read through your camera instructions, but this setting is normally shown with a flower like the image below. Again, once you have a clear digital photo, then this can be emailed to us:
- For some gifts such as the fine silver hand/ footprint jewellery, we can even work from a clear photo copy of prints sent to us in the post if this is easier for you.
For other gifts such as the crystal pebbles, a photocopy does not work well, so please ensure you contact us first if you'd like to send this way so that we can advise you:
-
if this method will work for what you would like to order &
-
the correct address to send to.
I don't have my baby's footprints. Can I still order a personalised footprint gift?
Yes, of course. All of our gifts with the option of using foot / hand prints also comes with the option of using our trademark footprints (we do not have hand prints though) and the gift can still be personalised with your baby's name and date where possible.
I seem to have been charged postage for each item ordered. Is this right?
In some cases yes and in some cases no! But please be assured we do not charge more than the actual cost of the postage and packaging for any of our gifts.
We combine postage costs wherever possible, however as we work with many different artists, each artist will make and send gifts directly from their studio / place of work. This means for example if you order a concrete ornament, a footprint necklace and a candle, you will be charged three lots of postage as each of these items will need to be sent individually.
If you order more than one item from the same artist, then we will combine postage, but please read below for clarification.
- If you are ordering items from our own collections that are either made or kept in stock here (all marked in purple writing on the waiting times page), then the website will work out the cost of posting based on the weight, so this is quite accurate.
- If you are ordering more than one item from the same artist working away from here (for example six candles, or two pieces of footprint jewellery. These are marked in blue writing on the waiting times page) then the website will initially charge you for each item. Please note that we will refund the difference asap! Sometimes we are able to do this instantly, but other times we need to calculate the actual cost which takes some time. Either way, you will receive a refund for the difference just as soon as we possibly can.
I am worried about sharing a picture of my baby, but really want to order something with her/his picture on.
We completely understand this and also how very hard it is to place an order with us at all.
Over the years, lots of beautiful pictures have been sent to us of babies at all different gestations. Also babies that have perhaps passed away some time before being born. I can not stress enough how much we respect each picture sent and that this is your very precious child.
We ourselves set up Alexandra's Angel Gifts in memory of our daughter who was stillborn and so completely understand how difficult it is to share pictures and / or to place an order. Not all of the artists themselves have lost a child, as we choose artists based on the quality and expertise of their work to ensure only the very best for all of our babies. However, where relevant every artist we work with we have discussed photos with before starting work with them and we are very careful to only work with people sensitive to the precious pictures they will be working with.
More often than not when we receive a photo we will have a little cry in memory of your little one and on how cruel life can be that you have reason to order from us at all.
I also have living children and would like to order matching items including all of my children. Is this possible?
Yes of course! Alexandra's Angel Gifts is set up only displaying gifts for the loss of a baby. This is to ensure that parents feel safe here and not bombarded with looking at new baby gifts and images which is just heart wrenching following the loss of a baby. Also we are very sensitive to the fact that some people are unable to go on to have further children which again is just devastating.
We also understand that some parents already have other children or do go on to have further children following losing a baby / child and would very much like matching gifts to include all of their family.
Please don't hesitate to contact us if any of our gifts can be altered / added to to include all of your family, as we are more than happy to do this.
The other option is to order directly from the website, but we just ask that you make a note on your order that the gift is for a living child, just to ensure that no inappropriate literature is sent with your order.
I really like the poems and / or quote you have on your website. Am I able to use these elsewhere?
All of the poems / quotes used on Alexandra's Angel Gifts have been written by me unless otherwise stated (with author unknown underneath) and are copyright protected with the exception of personal use only.
Please click here to read our copyright page for more information about the use of poems / quotes from Alexandra's Angel Gifts.
You can of course use any of these poems / quotes for gifts you are ordering or for personal use.
I would like to speak with someone on the phone, but there is no contact number.
We unfortunately currently do not have the capacity to open a phone line and make sure that we answer all enquiries via email as soon as possible. If you would like to speak with someone about a gift rather than send an email, then please email us your telephone number and we will give you a call just as soon as we can.
Are you a profit making company?
I, Alexandra's mummy am currently set up as a sole trader and owner of Alexandra's Angel Gifts. When I use the term “we”, I am also referring to my husband, Alexandra's daddy who volunteers his time to help out a lot and also the lovely Libby (mummy to Alexis Mills, born asleep 6th October 2010) who helps us out so much with emails, penpals and the boxes for hospitals project too.
When answering the questions above regarding gifts I am also referring to the artists that work side by side with us.
Alexandra's Angel Gifts is now my main and only job due to the sad but overwhelming need for such a service, so I do take a small income from any profit made to live and pay the bills. Any extra money is either ploughed straight back into Alexandra's Angel Gifts (keeping stock levels up, working on new idea's / projects etc), or goes to our boxes for hospitals project (click here to see) or other baby loss causes. We often donate gifts for auctions / raffles to help raise money for other organisations / individuals related to baby loss too.
The way we run is actually very similar to how a “not for profit” Community Interest Company (CIC) is run and this is something we aim towards being in the future.
So whilst we do make a necessary profit from the gifts made to keep going and improve our service, we do not and will never consider ourselves a big "for profit" company out to make lots of money. Our main aim is “not for profit” but to offer a much needed service and a safe comforting place to be for bereaved parents and anyone else effected by the devastating loss of a child.