A tranquil outdoor sanctuary for families grieving the loss of a baby has been created at a Lancaster hospital.
The Willow Suite’s bereavement garden at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI) is a place where bereaved families can sit in peace and some parents have said looking up towards the stars from the garden gave them a sense of connection with the baby that they had so sadly lost.
The garden has been created with help from Thomas Pinington, Nicholas Pinington, Jeremy Hackett, Luke Sutcliffe, Paul Waters and their colleagues at Lancaster construction firm Pinington, who have donated new decking, garden furniture and landscaping improvements to the garden.
This caring donation follows the recent completion of the hospital’s new Maternity Triage Unit and The Willow Suite; two specialist maternity facilities.
Created as part of a £2m investment in maternity services, the new facilities provide faster access to maternity care as well as a calm and compassionate environment for families experiencing baby loss.
Pinington is a long-established family business that has worked with the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) for many years on projects across its hospitals.
Jeremy Hackett and Thomas Pinington
They replaced the garden’s ageing decking and balustrades and donated new benches and other improvements to help create a welcoming outdoor space.
“We are very sympathetic people and you couldn’t imagine the hardship some families go through," said Thomas Pinington, managing director.
"When we heard about the purpose of this space, we wanted to help. We upgraded all the decking, provided the benches, added new chippings and gave it a general refresh.
"I am glad that we’re in a position to help out when we can. We work with the hospital all year round and it’s nice to be able to support something that will make a difference to local families.”
Jeremy Hackett, Financial Director of Pinington, said: “We have worked alongside the trust for many years and have delivered projects across its sites.
"We’re both dads, so it has been particularly special to see this finished space in use and know that it will support families when they need comfort and privacy.”
The company’s contribution was complemented by the dedication of Alison Mayor, Head of Midwifery at UHMBT, who worked alongside her husband and a friend to help transform the garden.
Together they planted new flowers, pruned mature shrubs, re-potted containers, cleared overgrown areas and refreshed the space so that it would feel calm, welcoming and special for families using The Willow Suite.
The Willow Suite was created with extensive input from bereaved families and is designed to provide dignity and precious time together for parents and relatives following the loss of a baby.
Inside the new facilities at The Willow Suite
The suite includes direct access to the private courtyard garden, enabling families to step away from clinical surroundings and spend quiet moments together in nature.
“We would like to express our sincere thanks to Pinington for their incredible generosity and support," said Rachel Satterthwaite, Capital Project Manager for UHMBT.
"The donation of the decking, furniture and landscaping improvements has helped transform this space into a beautiful and peaceful garden that will provide comfort for families at an incredibly difficult time.
"The support of local businesses such as Pinington makes a real difference to the environments we are able to create for patients and their loved ones.”
Alison Mayor said: “The garden offers a dedicated space for families to be together during some of the saddest moments of their lives.
"It gives parents, siblings and extended family members somewhere peaceful to spend precious time together away from the clinical environment. We have worked incredibly hard to make it feel welcoming and comforting.
“I will never forget one family who asked if they could take their baby outside because they wanted to show her the stars. It was such a simple request, but it meant everything to them.
"Since then, we have always understood how important access to this garden can be. So many bereaved families find comfort in sitting quietly outside, looking at the sky and remembering their baby.”
A group of bereaved mums who helped shape The Willow Suite recently visited the garden and were delighted with how it now looks.
Mums on a visit to the garden earlier this year
Since opening, both the suite and garden have already been used by families, which reinforces just how important these spaces are.
Susan Foyle, Director of Midwifery for UHMBT, said: “A garden can play an important role in supporting bereaved parents by providing a peaceful place for remembrance and precious family moments.
“For some families, our garden offers opportunities that may otherwise never be possible – spending time outdoors with their baby, sitting among nature, watching the stars or simply taking a few moments away from a clinical setting. It is these small but meaningful experiences that can help create lasting memories during an incredibly difficult time.
“We hope the garden will continue to bring comfort to families for many years to come and we are incredibly grateful to everyone who has contributed to creating such a special place.”
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