Offenders help create baby garden

TEAMS of offenders are helping to make a dream come true for a Warrington woman who has campaigned to help ease the minds of others like herself who have suffered a miscarriage.
Julie Walsh’s determination, plus the backing of council staff and volunteers and the probation service, has led to the creation of a special garden of remembrance at Walton Lea crematorium in Warrington.
The offenders, supervised by Cheshire Probation Area, are currently preparing the ground at the council-owned crematorium where the Baby Garden will be opened later this year. When completed, the garden will provide parents who have lost babies and young children with somewhere to sit in peace and tranquility.
The project is close to Julie’s heart as she suffered three miscarriages at different stages of pregnancy, the last being in July, 2007.
It was then that she realised that the crematorium, unlike Warrington Borough Council’s two other cemeteries, had nowhere set aside for such a remembrance garden.
With support from nurses and bereavement officers at Warrington Hospital, Karen Dalton, co-ordinator of the Miscarriage Association in Chester, and others Julie pursued the matter with vigour, and her campaign rapidly gathered momentum.
“The hospital acknowledged that something needed to be done when losses occurred in less than 20 weeks, and have been very supportive,” she said.
“I am not religious but I felt there should be somewhere to acknowledge the loss of my baby. I decided I would not rest until my little boy’s name was put on a plaque.”
Julie approached Neil Simpson, the council’s bereavement services manager, who revealed that he had been considering the provision of such a facility and so backed her plans to the hilt.
Julie had the idea of enlisting the help of Cheshire Probation Area, and Unpaid Work Placement Manager Elaine Hamlett immediately concurred that it would be an ideal project for offenders sentenced by the courts to carry out unpaid work.
Plans were drawn up, and a £12,500 bequest from a local woman to improve the crematorium in any way was used to help meet the cost.
The groundwork was overseen by Bob Sutcliffe, the council’s cemeteries officer, who had carried out similar work at the two cemeteries, and the rest of the preparatory work is now underway.
The footpaths have been marked out and in the coming weeks they will be surfaced, benches provided and a stone feature placed in the centre of the garden.
“I have worked with the probation service in the other cemeteries and know what a good job they do,” said Neil.
“I am really proud of all that has happened and I am so grateful to everyone who has played a part,” said Julie.
A group called Friends of the Baby Garden has been formed, with Julie at the helm, and also comprising representatives of all the interested parties. The group will advise bereaved parents on what can be placed in the garden.
The poignancy of the scheme was recognized by the unpaid workers, including Tony Stephens, 37, who was recently ordered to carry out 120 hours’ work.
“I have an 18-month-old daughter Maisie and if, God forbid, anything should have happened to her I would have liked her to be somewhere like this. I’m glad to be working here,” he said.
Now Julie, who gave birth to a daughter, Eleanor, in July, 2008, hopes it will be ready for use in about three months’ time.
“My son David was cremated here in October, 2007, and it would be nice to think that the garden would be ready for the second anniversary of that,” she said.
People wanting more information about the baby garden should send an email to: [email protected]
Picture shows, from left, Bob Sutcliffe, Cemeteries Officer, Tony Stephens, Community Payback, Julie Walsh and Neil Simpson ,Bereavement Services Manager look over the plans for the new baby garden at Walton Lea Crematorium