Hospital to hold annual baby and child loss remembrance service

Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust will hold its annual baby and child loss remembrance service next month.

The service is held every December and aims to support bereaved families who are grieving the loss of their baby or child in the lead up to Christmas.

It will be led by the Trust’s spiritual care and chaplaincy manager, Rev Martin Abrams, with contributions from other members of the spiritual care team, bereavement and rainbow midwives, and the Trust’s leadership team.

During the service, there will be poignant performances from the Salvation Army and local musicians. Families will also be invited to place Christmas baubles with the name of their baby or child on a remembrance tree, which will later be moved to the remembrance garden at Ormskirk Hospital.

Those unable to attend the service, but who would like a Christmas bauble to be placed in their baby or child’s name, can contact the spiritual care and chaplaincy team by emailing soh-tr.chaplains@nhs.net or calling 01704 704639 and they will arrange this on your behalf.

Rev Martin Abrams said: “Since the first service we did in 2014, we have seen increasing numbers of families every year.

“Christmas can be such a difficult time when living with grief and many find the opportunity to come together in an empathetic environment very helpful.

“We would like to invite anyone who has had any loss and at any time to come along and hopefully find support.”

The service will take place on Wednesday 7th December at West Lancashire Crematorium in Burscough from 6.30pm with light refreshments served on arrival.