Crematorium to create ‘wave of light’ for families affected by baby loss

West Suffolk Cemetery & Crematorium is inviting anyone who has experienced baby loss to take part in a special ‘wave of light’ memorial event on Tuesday 15 October.

 

It has been organised as part of national Baby Loss Awareness Week, which runs between 9 and 15 October.

 

The event is for parents, siblings, families and friends who have experienced the loss of a baby, during pregnancy, birth or soon after.

 

The crematorium has organised the event in partnership with West Suffolk Sands, a support group set up in 2018 by bereaved parents to offer comfort, care and information for anyone else experiencing what they did themselves.

 

The support group is part of the national Sands charity, which has been supporting those affected by pregnancy and baby loss for more than 40 years.

 

The event will begin at 5.30pm at the crematorium’s Meadow Café where visitors will be able to decorate a bag for a tealight candle, a commemorative pebble, or a balloon.

 

At 6.30pm there will be a gathering at the crematorium’s Abbey Chapel, where parents will have the chance to read poems in memory of their babies.

 

At 7pm, there will be a ‘wave of light’, involving everyone walking into the gardens, holding their candles in the decorative bags, to then place them in a designated memorial area.

 

West Suffolk Cemetery & Crematorium is part of  Westerleigh Group, one of the UK’s largest independent owners and operators of cemeteries and crematoria, with 40 sites in England, Scotland, and Wales, all set within beautifully landscaped gardens of remembrance which provide peaceful places for people to visit and reflect.

 

Manager Claire Butcher said: “The loss of a loved one is always a difficult and emotional time but losing a baby or infant can be especially difficult to come to terms with.

 

“That’s why charities like Sands, and local groups like West Suffolk Sands, are absolutely essential and it’s an honour for us to be able to work with them and host this special memorial event.

 

“West Suffolk Sands host friendly and relaxed support meetings for bereaved parents, family and friends and aims to provide emotional support and information for as long as it is needed.

 

“Not only will our event be a special way of remembering their loved ones, but it will also enable people to make contact with West Suffolk Sands, if they are not aware of them already, and other families who have shared similar experiences.

 

“The event is free to attend, and no booking in advance is required . Families do not have to have held a funeral at our crematorium or have a memorial here in order to attend.

 

“The event is open to anyone who may be able to take some comfort from it and who wishes to commemorate a lost baby or infant in a special way.”

 

To find out more about the Sands charity, visit: www.sands.org.uk

 

Anyone who wants to find out more about West Suffolk Cemetery & Crematorium, and the exceptional care it provides to local people, can visit: www.westsuffolkcrematorium.co.uk