Familie's invited to special remembrance service at Bury's Fairfield Hospital

Date published: 05 June 2008

Families who have had to face losing their babies shortly after birth or at any time
during a pregnancy are being invited to a special service of remembrance
at Bury’s Fairfield General Hospital.

The service, arranged in conjunction with the hospital’s chaplaincy team, is taking place in the Broadoak Suite at 7pm on Thursday, 19 June, and will include prayers, poems, hymns and the lighting of candles in remembrance.

Hospital chaplains Rosemary Scholes and Rev Sue Ward developed the idea of holding a service at Fairfield following similar successful events at Rochdale Infirmary and at The Royal Oldham Hospital.

Rosemary said: “Within society today, stillbirth and neo-natal deaths are
still very much sensitive subjects. The remembrance services will
offer families a chance to come together and remember their babies in a sympathetic and understanding environment.”

Sue added: “Similar memorial services are held nationwide and experience indicates that they are a great help to bereaved families. Hopefully, this service we are offering will also be a comfort to people and proves to be the first of many.”

Posters about the service are being distributed to GPs’ surgeries, health centres and community centres.

● The Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society (SANDS) offers support for

families who have faced stillbirth or neo-natal deaths. It can be contacted

on 020 7436 5881 or online at www.uk-sands.org