Abigail’s Footsteps, the Messenger’s charity of the year for 2015, was three years old last week.

The charity supports mums and dads who suffer the loss of a child at birth.

In that time, it has created a bereavement suite at Medway Maritime Hospital and is now moving on to help others across Kent.

The latest celebrity to join the charity’s ranks is former rugby star Craig Chalmers. The British and Irish Lions fly half made 60 appearances for Scotland and played for the Lions on their 1989 tour of Australia.

He is now a vice-president for the charity, alongside Eurovision winner Cheryl Baker, weather presenter Sian Lloyd, England rugby player Victor Ubogu and newsreader Julie Etchingham.

Craig said: “I am really pleased to be a part of the team. Abigail’s Footsteps does fantastic work in supporting bereaved families and friends.

“Thanks to their work midwives across the UK will have access to bereavement training and facilities. I look forward to supporting this work and making a real difference.”

Abigail’s Footsteps was founded by David and Jo Ward, from Rochester, after their daughter Abigail was stillborn.

Determined to help relieve the suffering of other families they set up the charity. Now it provide specialist facilities, including cold cots and bereavement suites in hospitals. It also promotes bereavement training for midwives. Next month some of the music industry’s top classical performers will join forces at Rochester Cathedral to raise funds for the charity.

Arias for Abigail on Friday, October 16, will include tenor Jonathan Ansell, known as part of pop opera group G4 on The X Factor, and mezzo-soprano Faryl Smith who reached the final of the 2008 series of Britain’s Got Talent.

Also singing will be Margaret Keys from the final of the Sound of Music talent show How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria. They will be supported by The Ruby Choir and Kent Sinfonia, a 50-piece orchestra.

Mr Ward said: “We are so honoured to have these fantastic artists and musicians appearing on stage in Rochester for our charity.

“Some of the money is also going to the Rochester Cathedral’s music endowment fund.”

For tickets call 01634 810074 or email development@rochestercathedral.org.