A NEW memorial garden space provides a sombre but comforting space for mothers and fathers to remember lost babies.

The Swindon SANDS charity and Swindon Borough Council worked together to set up the extra area behind the Kingsdown Crematorium which opened yesterday.

The charity opened the main garden in 2011 before going on to add a windmill garden, beds of roses, and now this new section which acts as a place for people to scatter their babies' ashes and return to remember them.

It includes lavenders to attract butterflies and bumblebees as well as a white blossom tree which, when in bloom, will look like tears are being shed onto the ground.

Steph Hobbs from SANDS thanked the dozens of volunteers who devoted their weekends to getting it all ready

She added: “We were approached about the memorial garden area in February last year, just prior to the first Covid-19 lockdown, with the idea of giving parents their own special area to place their babies’ ashes.

“This will not only ensure they’re not lost within the wider grounds of the crematorium, but will also give parents a place they can feel close to their baby after they have been laid to rest.

“This new area is an important step towards ensuring all lost babies, regardless of age, are treated with respect and will enable their parents to grieve and remember them in their own way.

“We had a small team of volunteers who worked so hard over the last 18 months, not only creating the new area, but also maintaining the baby garden so it remains a special haven for parents to go and remember their babies for years to come.”

The opening followed a memorial service led by Great Western Hospital chaplain Chris Mattock which included songs played over the speakers, a candle being lit for every baby lost since the last meeting, and emotional readings of poems and prose from siblings paying tribute to their loved ones.

The group then moved to the SANDS garden while a harpist played, bubbles blew and guests paused to tie pink, yellow and blue ribbons around the entrance.

Chris said: "There are as many ways of remembering as there are people.This is an informal space where little ones can run around while their parents quietly reflect."

SANDS supports those who have had babies which were stillborn or suffered neonatal death syndrome. This was the group’s first in-person event for 18 months.