Bereavement support charity, Amber Crisis Pregnancy Care, have launched a Crowdfunding campaign to help secure final funding support for a Platinum Jubilee Parks Funded memorial garden project.
The Amber Crisis Pregnancy Care charity, which is based in the borough, launched their campaign in National Baby Loss Awareness Week. The creation of a memorial garden will provide a dedicated space for grieving families, for those dealing with the trauma of losing a baby whether through miscarriage, still birth or neo natal loss. Around £20k has already been raised, with £15k already awarded from the council’s Platinum Jubilee Parks Fund, £3k from the Chislehurst Society and £1.5k from the Tesco Community Grant. The additional monies needed are now being raised, including from this Crowdfunding bid.
The Friends of Chislehurst Cemetery, a newly revived Friends group will be supporting ongoing maintenance of the garden, with the newly created space being the focal point for future activities. This will supplement the council’s grounds maintenance work which Idverde already routinely undertake in the cemetery.
Located in a quiet, under-used corner of Chislehurst Cemetery, with support of Idverde and Bromley Council, the new proposed garden will include specially designed seating and be surrounded with sensory and environmentally friendly planting, along with a remembrance wall, that will further enhance the experience. The space is intended to aid healing whilst also encourage social interaction to combat loneliness and promote mental wellbeing.
Julia Lau, from the newly revived Friends of Chislehurst Cemetery, said, “We are so pleased that Chislehurst Cemetery will benefit from this unique memorial garden, for families and individuals to remember and grieve their loss in a quiet and peaceful place - a place open to all local parents and families. There is an opportunity to show support for this initiative by joining the Crowdfunding campaign and if you felt able to do this, that would be great.”
Councillor Aisha Cuthbert, Executive Councillor for Environment says, “We are pleased to be working with the Amber Crisis Pregnancy Care team and the newly formed Friends group. Dealing with loss is enormously difficult and this new memorial garden could help support local families as well as improving the cemetery as well. A big thank you to the Friends of Chislehurst Cemetery for their work so far as well.”
Residents and local businesses are being encouraged to support the memorial garden project by is Crowdfunding enterprise, and to donate if possible.
Chislehurst Cemetery Crowdfunder
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Notes to Editors:
- National Baby Loss Awareness Week was held from 9 to 15 October 2023.
- Amber Crisis Pregnancy Care are a registered Charity we are supporting in a project to create a Community Memorial Garden in Chislehurst Cemetery, supporting individuals and families who have experienced the loss of a baby.
- Applications for the Platinum Jubilee Parks Fund are invited for grants up to £20,000, with monies available for each ward, with a ceiling of £40,000 for each ward. Further applications are expected over the lifetime of the fund, with additional rounds also now in progress.
- Individuals interested in joining their Friends of Parks group are being encouraged to visit the website www.bromley.gov.uk/parks for further details.
For media enquiries, please contact Justin Brown, Public Affairs Officer, on 020 8461 7872 or email justin.brown@bromley.gov.uk