A bereaved mother – along with a team of others in the community – have come together to establish a new group for parents who have experienced the loss of a child.
Alisha Devlin – one of the mums behind the new group – attended a “gentle gathering” in the baby loss garden at Palace Stables, Armagh to mark Baby Loss Awareness Week.
In the garden – which Alisha helped develop this time last year alongside Megan Kernan – parents wrote their babies’ names on wooden butterflies – graciously provided by Armagh Men’s Shed – and tied them to the bench, where they stayed for the duration of Baby Loss Awareness Week (October 9 – 15) until after the Wave of Light, on October 15.
Said Alisha: “From Monday October 13 extra butterflies will be available in the garden for anyone who wishes to add their babies’ names to the bench. Any member of that child’s family are free to come and add their name.”
Alisha and several others are also in the midst of trying to establish a community group called ‘Roots & Wings’, for families in Armagh and the wider area who have experienced baby/child loss.
Speaking to Armagh I about Roots & Wings, Alisha said: “The group was born from a shared desire among local parents and families to create a safe, nurturing space where grief can be honoured and healing can begin.
“While some of our members have previously been involved in other wonderful support initiatives, we felt there was a need for a group rooted right here in Armagh and the surrounding area, shaped by the experiences and voices of our own local community.
Wooden butterflies made by Armagh Men’s Shed provided to parents at the Baby Loss Awareness Week ‘gentle gathering’
“Our mission is to build a warm, inclusive community where loss families — not just parents, but all family members — can come together to heal, connect and remember. Through shared spaces such as the baby loss garden and activities like yoga, reflection, and support gatherings, we hope to nurture wellbeing, understanding and togetherness.
“As we begin this journey, we want to shape the group around what matters most to families in our community, so we would love people to let us know what they would like to see us do or how we can best support them.
“Not every family experiences grief in the same way; different people will want different things from the group therefore we value all input and support no matter how small.
“We want families to connect with us if they want to get involved with the group and also if anyone would like to get involved with the committee once we are established.”
