Wildlife presenter and conservationist Chris Packham has joined bereaved families at Martin House Children’s Hospice to open a new garden dedicated to remembering children and young people who have died.
Packham visited the hospice in Boston Spa on Thursday, 8 October, for the opening of the Garden of Memories, an outdoor space designed to give families somewhere peaceful to reflect and remember their children.
During the opening, Packham threaded the first ribbon onto a remembrance weaving board.
Chris Packham, wildlife presenter and conservationist:
It’s been an amazing afternoon. Martin House is absolutely astonishing.To make such a positive difference to people’s lives, when those lives were at their most fragile, is absolutely heartwarming. And to have a garden like this that everyone can use is another remarkable asset in what is a truly remarkable place.
A garden shaped by bereaved families
Before the opening, Packham toured Martin House to learn more about the specialist palliative care and bereavement support it provides. He also spoke with families about their experiences and the support available after a child or young person has died.
The Garden of Memories was developed with input from Martin House’s Bereaved Parent Advisory Group and its care teams, helping to ensure the space reflects the needs of the families who will use it.
Designed for independent visits at any time, the garden offers a place for remembrance, reflection and connection.
Inspired by therapeutic stories including The Hare-Shaped Hole andThe Invisible String, the garden incorporates interactive features, some of which were created by siblings through the Memory Makers Project. The project received funding from Hospice UK’s Dying Matters Community Grants Programme.
Post box offers a place for messages to loved ones
A central feature of the garden is a Letters to Loved Ones post box, funded by Amardeep Sirha and Theo Morris in memory of their son, Simba.
The post box provides a place for bereaved families to leave letters, cards, drawings and messages for their children, offering a personal way to maintain a connection with those they have lost.
Amardeep and Theo posted the first letter during the opening ceremony.
Amardeep Sirha and Theo Morris, Simba’s parents:
Bringing people together was such a special part of who Simba was. We wanted to fund this post box in his memory so that something created in his name could continue offering comfort and connection to others.Grief does not end, and neither does the relationship we have with our children. There are always more words to say, more memories to share and more love to give. We hope this will give families a simple, private and meaningful place to leave those words.
Having somewhere in the Garden of Memories where we can return, write to him and feel connected means so much. It has been created in Simba’s name, but it is there for every child and every family who needs it.
Support continues after a child dies
Vicki Greensmith, director of clinical services at Martin House, said the families who would use the garden had played an important role in shaping it and were central to its opening.
Vicki Greensmith, director of clinical services at Martin House:
The Garden of Memories has been shaped by the families who will use it, so it was important that they were at the heart of opening it.When a child dies, our support for their family doesn’t end. This garden gives families another place at Martin House where they can spend time, remember and feel close to their child.
We’re very grateful to Chris for joining families for such a meaningful occasion and taking the time to learn more about their experiences and the support Martin House provides.
Martin House supports more than 550 children and young people with life-shortening conditions, and their families, across West, North and East Yorkshire each year.
The hospice’s support continues after a child’s death, with around 200 bereaved family members receiving specialist bereavement support annually.
Further information about Martin House Children’s Hospice and how to support its work is available on the Martin House website.