Baby loss awareness week: service at Hereford Cathedral

Wye Valley NHS Trust will be marking the awareness week with a series of activities and events from today (October 9) to October 15.

The week culminates on Tuesday, October 15 with a Walk of Light departing from the Baby Memorial Garden at Hereford County Hospital, at 6 pm, to St Francis Xavier Church, Broad Street, Hereford for a service of remembrance at 6.45 pm.

Baby Loss Awareness Week, now in its 22nd year, provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the impact of pregnancy and baby loss and the importance that bereavement support plays in the ongoing bereavement journey.

Throughout the week bereaved parents and their families are invited to visit the Chapel at Hereford County Hospital where they can remember their baby by decorating a pebble and writing a letter to send to heaven.

A blue or pink ribbon can also be tied to either the railings of the baby memorial garden at Hereford County Hospital or the gates of Hereford Cathedral.

To raise funds for the development of the Baby Memorial Garden at Hereford County Hospital and to support the ongoing bereavement service, the Maternity team will be cycling 101 miles on October 10, anyone wishing to donate can do so via their Just Giving page.

Abbie Hughes, bereavement midwife at Wye Valley NHS Trust said the trust hopes that all the events will "spark conversations" about baby loss, and provide local bereaved parents with an opportunity to talk about their "precious babies". 

Clea Harmer, chief executive of Sands and Chair of the Baby Loss Awareness Alliance, said “Grief affects every person differently and can change over time, even during Baby Loss Awareness Week itself.

"It can be extremely hard for any bereaved person to speak out on the issues that matter to them if they do not have the time and tools to care for themselves first.

"Self-care is essential, so you can sustain yourself and be able to raise awareness in a way that’s right for you."