Bereaved parents came together and shared their feelings during a poignant evening at Milton.
Seven parents attended the Remembering with Love session, for families being supported by East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH).
As well as forging relationships, they had the chance to take part in a special memory-making activity, painting and decorating heart-shaped tealight holders.
“It was a lovely, relaxed evening,” said Ceri Dobson, EACH’s Groups and Events Co-ordinator at Milton.
“Understandably, some parents felt a little nervous to start with, because they didn’t know what to expect.
“However, it was lovely to see them relax and enjoy their evening. Conversations evolved and hopefully they got lots from it.
“There was no pressure to do anything, and the most important thing was for the parents to enjoy some quality time together.”
The theme for the craft activity was Valentine’s Day, and parents had an opportunity to produce a keepsake to remember their child by.
They painted and decorated ceramic, heart-shaped tealight holders, using colours special to them.
“It was a safe space for the parents to share their feelings, and one dad asked if the feeling of grief gets any better,” added Ceri.
“Everyone was so supportive, told him they knew exactly how he felt and that he mustn’t feel alone.
“It was lovely to see a mixture of mums and dads attend, and other family members including grandparents, aunts, uncles and older siblings are very welcome to attend our next Remembering with Love evening at Easter.”
The Valentines-themed session took place on 18th February and the next Remembering with Love session is taking place in Peterborough on 22nd April. Look out for more details on the EACH website.
