Gloucestershire hospital to open garden for bereaved parents

A hospital charity is appealing for donations to help create a garden of remembrance for those who have suffered baby loss.

Cheltenham and Gloucester Hospitals charity hopes to open the calm space for bereaved parents by next summer.

The idea came from midwives at the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.

Weronika Glienke-Hammett, who lost her daughter Rose at 28 weeks in 2018, said the garden "will be a sanctuary for parents".

One in around 250 pregnancies end in stillbirth and more than one in five end in miscarriage in the UK, the hospitals charity said.

Ms Glienke-Hammett who lives near Portishead, said while she was able to have a funeral for her daughter Rose, "not all parents get this chance, especially if they lose a baby in the early stages of pregnancy".

It therefore added to the importance of a dedicated space which would be a sanctuary for parents to "remember much-loved babies", she said.

The 37-year old, who has two other children, said the new space, inspired by a commemorative garden created after the pandemic, would be a "peaceful place which could help with healing".

Nikki Dobson, bereavement specialist midwife at Gloucestershire Hospitals, added the garden would be a place where people can "sit and reflect" with loved ones.

"The garden will also be a place for hospital staff who may have been affected by baby loss or who have cared for bereaved parents to visit," she said.

"It will be a space for everyone."

Richard Smith, associate director at Cheltenham and Gloucester Hospitals Charity, said they would be grateful for "anything people can donate at this time" as it "will all help to make a real difference to patients."

The garden is part of the new Big Plus Fund campaign by the Cheltenham and Gloucester Hospitals charity, working to enhance patient experience and fund new equipment beyond what the NHS can provide.

Other projects include installing more sky ceiling light panels to bring a feeling of the calming outdoors to treatment rooms.

If you or someone you know has been affected by issues with pregnancy, these organisations may be able to help.

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