- Share a message and photo on Our Bolton NHS Charity’s online dedication page to remember a baby gone too soon
- Read Alfie James’ parents’ moving tribute to bereavement and midwifery teams at Royal Bolton Hospital
- Join the Wave of Light service at 6.45pm on Thursday 15 October in the Baby Memorial Garden
People in Bolton who have been affected by baby loss are invited to share their heartfelt memories on an online dedication page, as Bolton NHS Foundation Trust and Our Bolton NHS Charity mark Baby Loss Awareness Week.
The online Much Loved page allows families to upload messages and pictures to help keep the love and legacy of their little one alive.
Donations to Our Bolton NHS Charity are entirely optional, but any support would be deeply appreciated and will help the charity continue providing comfort and care to families affected by baby loss.
Baby Loss Awareness Week is an opportunity to bring people together and give anyone touched by pregnancy and baby loss a safe and supportive space to share their experiences and feel that they are not alone.
The parents of Alfie James, who was born at Royal Bolton Hospital, have shared their own message and thanks to the midwifery teams who supported them during such a difficult time in their lives.
“When we gave birth to our beautiful Alfie James, the bereavement team and the bereavement suite we stayed in gave us something we will forever be grateful for — time.
“Time to process the unimaginable loss of our baby boy, to be together as a family, and most importantly, to spend precious quality time with Alfie and say goodbye to him in our own way.
“The team supported every single one of our wishes with such kindness, compassion and understanding. They even arranged for Alfie to be blessed by the priest, just as we had wished, which meant more to us than we could ever put into words.
“They made something such as pushing him in a pram around the hospital which some would find strange, completely normal and encouraged for us to do this as we’d never get this chance again. The things that seemed abnormal, such as changing him into his outfit or cuddling him, completely normal.
“We were also given the opportunity to have photographs taken with Alfie. Those photographs are some of the most precious things we own, and we cherish them immensely. They are memories of our beautiful boy that we will have forever.
“We truly cannot thank the staff enough for everything they did for us during the darkest and most heartbreaking time of our lives. A special thank you to Bereavement Midwife Seema Kala, who has been our rock and our shining light throughout a time that felt so incredibly dark. Her kindness, compassion and continued support will always hold a very special place in our hearts.
“Even now, the bereavement team continue to support us on our journey as we await the arrival of our little rainbow baby girl. Their care hasn’t ended with our loss — they have continued to walk alongside us, and for that we will always be grateful.
“Alfie will forever be our son, forever loved and forever missed. Thank you for giving us the space, support and precious memories that allowed us to say goodbye to our beautiful boy.”
Join our Wave of Light on Thursday 15 October
As Baby Loss Awareness Week comes to an end, people are warmly invited to join Bolton NHS Foundation Trust’s annual Wave of Light service at Royal Bolton Hospital.
The event provides a space for people to remember and honour babies who sadly died during pregnancy, at birth, or in infancy, and to acknowledge the lasting impact of loss on parents, families and loved ones.
The Wave of Light service will take place at 6.45pm on Thursday 15 October in the hospital’s Baby Memorial Garden.
More details can be found on Bolton NHS Foundation Trust’s website.
