Annual Babies Memorial Service
Date of release: 30 October 2023
A memorial service has been organised by The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT) to enable bereaved parents, their families and friends to unite with others and commemorate the lives of babies who died during pregnancy, at – or soon after – birth and in infancy.
The event will be hosted by the Trust’s Chaplaincy Team, alongside Specialist Bereavement Midwives and other Neonatal and Maternity staff. The Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Charity (SANDS) Wolverhampton and Looking After Parents and Siblings Group (LAPS) – two charities which regularly support RWT and its service-users – are also supporting the event.
All parents and families who have suffered the loss of a baby regardless of gestation are invited to attend the service which will take place on Sunday, 5 November at 3.15pm at St Patrick’s RC Church in Wolverhampton (WV10 0QO).
Families of faith and no faith are welcome to attend.
Rev. Joe Fielder, Lead Chaplain for RWT, said: “We hope families and others who attend will be helped by seeing the familiar face of a Midwife, Nurse or a Chaplain, remembering them as people who were there to comfort them during their difficult and painful moments.
“We are very grateful for the many people who are working together to put on this special service, especially to the church family of St Patrick’s and for the support of people from SANDS and LAPS – many of whom also work as part of RWT. Together we hope we can comfort people and honour their little ones.”
The service will contain music by The RWT Singers and a space for reflection, poems and readings.
Kirsty Malcolm and Carole Sadler, the Trust’s Specialist Bereavement Midwives, strive to support families and recognise how important these memorial events are.
Carole explained: “Some families have been coming to the service for several years now, as it’s their way of honouring and treasuring their still very much loved, and very much missed, babies.
Kirsty added: “Others just come for a year or two. It can be a helpful and important stepping stone in their healing process as they grieve and remember.”
Kelly Prophet, Specialist Neonatal Bereavement Nurse, and Emily Cooper, Specialist Early Pregnancy Bereavement Nurse, will also be in attendance.
Emily said: “The service will give an opportunity to all who attend to light a candle and also place a token heart with a personal message on our special memory trees.”
For help and support please visit:
Sands - Saving babies' lives. Supprting bereaved families
The Lily Mae Foundation
4 Louis
ENDS
- For further information, please email Alice Sheppard at alice.sheppard3@nhs.net
