Belfast councillors have agreed to create a garden in one of the city's public parks dedicated to parents who lost children during pregnancy and birth.
At the council’s People and Communities Committee (Tuesday May 11th), elected representatives unanimously agreed to a request from the Snowdrop Group to establish a small garden area within one of our parks, memorialising the one in four pregnancies that end in loss every year.
Council officers will be working with the group and the Belfast Trust to identify and agree a suitable location, and to then work towards organising a small scale event and planting ceremony towards the end of May/early June, taking account of restrictions in place at the time.
The group hopes the site will become a starting and end point for an annual “Snowdrop Walk,” and they are asking for one of the city's larger parks to be chosen.
Snowdrop will use the new garden for events throughout the year and a fundraiser is planned to purchase a memorial bench at the site, through the council’s memorialisation process.
The Snowdrop Group was established in 2017 within Belfast Health and Social Care Trust to work with bereaved parents to inform and drive improvements in maternity services.
The group has also focused on raising awareness and breaking stigma associated with pregnancy and baby loss, and are very active during Baby Loss Awareness Week in October.
Alliance Councillor Michelle Kelly said: “Having a small garden where families can go and reflect would be an extremely significant development in breaking down the stigmas attached with pregnancy and baby loss.
“It is fitting it will be in one of our parks, which have taken on an even greater importance for our mental health during the pandemic. I think it is only right that there should be a place like this in our city which is accessible to all, and I’m very pleased that members can support this proposal.”
