Baby loss ribbon memorial on display in Clacton
It's to mark Baby Loss Awareness Week
Last updated 11th Oct 2022
A baby loss memorial has been set up in an Essex town to raise awareness of the topic during baby loss awareness week.
Hundreds of pink and blue ribbons with baby names inscribed on them have been tied onto the railings of the Memorial Gardens in Clacton.
Organiser Maria Gormley hopes the memorial will encourage more people to talk about baby loss: "I lost my own daughter, Laura, 34 years ago. She was an unexplained still birth at 36 weeks, so I know how much it means to everybody that's lost a baby to remember our little ones...
"It's lovely to remember all of the little ones and just to have a place to go where you can reflect and tie your memorial ribbon on.
"It's in a lovely location, with benches around. I go down a lot when it's up, and lots of people go and sit on a bench and start talking with each other about baby loss...
"People just want to talk about their baby. It's just so important and it offers people somewhere to go during Baby Loss Awareness Week...
"For some people this is the only thing they have - they say to me: 'I don't have my baby remembered anywhere else' so it's lovely for them to come down and know their ribbon is here and visible."
This is the fourth year the memorial, which also raises money for Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity, has taken place.
This year, Maria's fundraising goal of £1500 has been surpassed.
Maria hopes the memorial helps people feel less alone: "I've spoken to lots of people who say they thought they were alone - they didn't realise all these people had gone through similar thnigs.
"Whole families will visit with their children, parents and grandparents thinking they're alone, but the ribbon memorial helps show them they aren't alone."