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Help fund a footpath which will provide vital access to baby memorial

Above: The Revd Caroline Dick (left), is pictured with churchwarden Barbara Gow and Cllr Liz Brown. The pictures below show the existing path and plaque. 

 

A special memorial is set to be installed at a Durham church to commemorate babies and infants who died in decades gone by.

When newborns were lost in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, it was commonplace for them to be interred in unmarked graves at churchyards.

Two years ago, St Cuthbert’s Church on North Road, Durham, commissioned a memorial which will commemorate those who were lost at childbirth or early life. 

The Revd Caroline Dick said the 6ft by 4ft structure, designed by London-based artist Lara Sparey, will be for the parents and families of the babies and infants who were interred at the churchyard.

But it will also become a place for anyone in the community who has been affected by the loss of a baby or child to reflect, remember and find comfort.

With the structure set to be unveiled within the next few months, a campaign is underway to raise funds for a new path providing a route to the memorial, which will be fully accessible.

A justgiving page has been set up with a target of £10,000. The money raised will complement other funding from elsewhere, including Durham County Council.

The project started two years ago. It has involved architect Michael Atkinson, local councillor Liz Brown, the University Hospital of North Durham, and members of the congregation at St Cuthbert’s.

A special service will take place to mark the installation of the memorial. Once this has been arranged, the date and time will be advertised.

If you would like to contribute to the cost of the footpath click here

 

First published on: 3rd August 2023
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