Touching memory wall offers comfort for bereaved families at the Countess of Chester Hospital

As Baby Loss Awareness Week brings a focus on an experience that is often suffered in silence, the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has unveiled a dedicated memory wall for bereaved families.

Following conversations and feedback from bereaved parents, the wall was designed to offer families another special way to remember their babies.

Personally handcrafted by Kate Buckley from the Trust's Milk Bank, the colourful display features dandelions, butterflies and lavender and creates a dedicated space where the names of babies who have died can be displayed and remembered.

Developed in partnership with the Trust's Bereavement and Memory Milk Bank Teams, the wall provides families with the choice to add a lasting tribute to their babies, and a comforting place of remembrance.

Each family who chooses to have their baby's name hand painted on the wall receives a photograph of their baby's name on the display, along with a hand-decorated memory pebble created by Kate as a lasting keepsake.

Kate Buckley, Milk Bank Co-ordinator at the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust explained:

"Having supported families through the Milk Bank Memory Milk Gift Initiative, I've been able to see just how much it means to parents for their babies to be honoured and remembered, if that’s what they choose to do. The dandelion is a symbol of hope, which is why it became the centrepiece of the design. I also decorate memory pebbles with each baby's name on one side and a dandelion seed on the other, giving families something special to keep.

"I just hope that when families see their baby's name on the wall, they don't feel alone. I want them to know that someone is thinking of them now and in the future,” 

The memory wall forms part of the Trust's wider Memory Milk Gift Initiative which was developed by the Milk Bank at Chester to support families following the loss of a baby.

The award-winning programme offers emotional, practical and wellbeing support to parents experiencing lactation after baby loss, providing choices around milk donation, keepsakes and remembrance. 

Shaped by the experiences of bereaved families, the initiative aims to ensure parents feel supported, understood and able to honour their baby's memory in a way that feels right for them. 

Alongside the memory wall, families supported through the programme can also access other dedicated remembrance opportunities, including the Memory Milk Garden within the Countess of Chester Country Park, creating lasting spaces for reflection and remembrance.

Lesley Roe, Bereavement Midwife at the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said:

"We have seen the comfort that the Milk Bank Memory Tree brings to families who have their baby's name placed on it, and we wanted to create something similar for families whose baby has died. We know how much it means for parents to say their baby's name out loud, so seeing it displayed on our memory wall offers reassurance that their baby is remembered, their name is seen, and their baby continues to be spoken about.”

Lesley added:

"We hope the wall brings a sense of togetherness and comfort during some of the hardest days a family will ever face. Many bereaved parents may never see their child's name on a school register or school photograph, but the memory wall provides a special place where their baby's name is displayed.”

The memory wall is located within the Trust's award-winning Women and Children's Building, which opened in September 2025 and has been widely recognised for its family-focused design. It is situated outside the Lavender Suite, which was designed with input from families and stakeholders to create a homely, apartment-style environment while providing the clinical facilities needed for safe care.

Privacy and dignity are at the heart of the design, with the suite located away from busy maternity and neonatal areas and offering a separate entrance, dedicated parking, soundproofing and access to private outdoor space.

Facilities include a family lounge, ensuite bathroom, overnight accommodation for partners, refreshments and dedicated memory-making spaces.

Parents are able to spend precious time with their baby in a calm, comfortable setting, with opportunities to create keepsakes and hold naming, blessing or other personal ceremonies.

The suite provides a special environment, carefully designed to support families with compassion, comfort and privacy during an incredibly difficult time.

• The memorial wall supports the wider bereavement services offered by the Trust. A bereavement support booklet on these services can be found here:
• https://www.rns.uk/countess-of-chester-hospital-and-hospice-of-the-good-shepherd
• Alongside the memorial space, bereaved families are invited to attend regular coffee mornings and afternoons where they can connect with others who have experienced baby loss and access ongoing support.
• The memory wall reflects the Trust's commitment to providing compassionate bereavement care and ensuring that families continue to feel supported long after they leave hospital.
• Families wishing to find out more about the memory wall or bereavement support services can speak to the Bereavement Midwifery Team at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

Pictured - Kate Buckley handcrafting the wall.