Published Monday 8 August 2016 at 9:17
The grieving mum of a stillborn baby has single-handedly set up a memorial garden for parents who have suffered a miscarriage or stillbirth.
Sarah Bernasconi, whose baby Maggie Pearl was stillborn in June 2015, will host an opening ceremony for the Butterfly Wood garden next week at Pleasington crematorium in Blackburn where her daughter was buried.
The project came after Sarah identified that some parents have nowhere to go to remember their babies and approached the Council’s Bereavement Services with her idea.
Sarah is supplying small laminated butterflies that parents can write a message on and put on sticks to stand in the slate chippings.
There are plans to install a wedge-shaped plaque in light grey granite with “Fly high butterflies” engraved on it, representing the stillborn children.
On top of this project, Sarah has set up a support group which holds fortnightly meetings for anyone who has suffered a pregnancy loss.
Since the stillbirth, Sarah has donated three “cold cots” worth £7,000 each to local hospitals and Derian House childrens’ hospice, which cares for limited and life-threatened children.
The cots are a specialised piece of equipment designed to keep the stillborn baby cool to allow parents to spend up to 72 hours with them.
Sarah also donates memory boxes to grieving parents on an ongoing basis.
Councillor Jim Smith, Executive Member for Environment, said:
Losing a baby through stillbirth can be very heart-breaking and we very much welcome the idea of a memorial garden for the children.
Sarah has done a tremendous amount of work to help parents in the area who have been affected by this sad experience.
It is very touching to see her passion driving her to do all the hard work, which has resulted in something wonderful that will bring everyone together and provide consolidation.
The garden’s opening ceremony, with media in attendance, will take place on Tuesday, August 9, from 6pm at Pleasington crematorium.