Ribbon display in Clacton for Baby Loss Awareness Week
The display will be organised between 9th-15th October in the town's Memorial Garden
Last updated 8th Oct 2021
Tomorrow (9 October) marks the start of Baby Loss Awareness Week across the UK. It's aim is to offer a platform for bereaved parents and families to grieve, help them seek support and raise awareness about baby loss during pregnancy, at or soon after childbirth and in infancy.
As she has done for the past two years, Maria Gormley will organise a week long baby loss remembrance ribbon display on the Clacton seafront, from the 9th to 15th October. "I just want people to know they're not alone and that they have a place to remember their little one."
Maria's baby, who died shortly after birth, would have turned 33 this year. " When I lost Laura, I wasn't offered any help. She was whisked away as soon as she was born. I didn't get to see her or hold her."
She believes that things have changed since then. "I'm thankful it's different now. Parents are encouraged to make memories and hold their babies, take photographs and footprints and handprints", she says. But there is still stigma when it comes to talking about the subject or seeking help after bereavement.
"I think it is a very taboo subject and people don't like to talk about it, because a lot of the times people don't know what to say", she says, before adding, "It's really just a case of going to somebody, asking their baby's name, that kind of thing. It would really mean a lot to somebody just to acknowledge that they really did have a baby"
Maria will be working with Sands, a stillbirth and neonatal death charity to have white, pink and blue ribbons with baby names inscribed tied onto the railings of the Memorial Garden in Clacton. Knitted and crocheted teddy bears have also been donated to remember the lives that were lost too soon.
Those who are interested in donating a teddy bear can do so through her Just Giving page as well.