'Baby loss memorial garden is a sanctuary'

Sam Simpkins is Hereford County Hospital's bereavement midwife

"It feels like a little sanctuary within the hospital... this is absolutely huge for our women especially, and our families."

Sam Simpkins, Hereford County Hospital's dedicated bereavement midwife, is describing the hospital's baby loss memorial garden and how it is making a massive difference for bereaved families in processing their grief.

Opened in July, it will now be a part of a special event later, to remember babies who have died.

Staff, charity volunteers and families will meet at the hospital at 18:00 BST to walk from the garden, where ribbons have been tied, to Hereford Cathedral, where a candlelit service of remembrance will take place.

The memorial garden includes a remembrance tree, recently decorated with blue and pink hearts, as well as a mural, flowers and places to sit.

"When we opened it in July, the amount of people that came, had a look at it and decorated a pebble was just a credit to the space it is, and you could see what it meant for them," Ms Simpkins said.

Staff will walk from the memorial garden at the hospital on Wednesday evening, to the cathedral

"At Christmas time we can invite people to come in and decorate a bauble or something.

"It's just an ongoing space that we can keep using, and most beautifully, that families just can come to in their own time and have that reflection and the space."

'Special butterfly pram'

She added parents were encouraged to bring babies they had lost into the garden, from the hospital.

"We have a pram upstairs, a special butterfly pram, if they want to bring their baby up because it might be the only time that they get to take their baby outside, this is the place to do it - and we will support them with that," Ms Simpkins continued.

"Providing support to families in their absolute darkest time is just something I feel like I can give back, I feel like I'm able to support them… it's a real privilege to do this job."

Bereaved parent Laura Culpin said the garden was a "safe space" for her to use after her first baby was stillborn

Laura Culpin's first baby, Penny, was stillborn. She now runs the local Sands group - a support network for parents who've lost babies.

The group is involved in the event at the cathedral and has been tying colourful ribbons to the west gate of the cathedral, as well as at the memorial garden.

"We've got this beautiful memorial tree.. it's just a safe space," she said.

"Maybe you've got to go back to the hospital for results, maybe you're still in the process of your baby loss.

"It's somewhere outside the hospital to get some fresh air, to be around nature... and sit with your thoughts, knowing you're surrounded by love and people that get this awful grief that you're going through."