Baby memorial garden created by couple set to open

A memorial garden created by a couple who lost a baby in a miscarriage is set to give similarly bereaved parents a quiet place to grieve when it opens at the weekend.

Shaun Pickering, from Telford, Shropshire, and his partner Katie Stuart lost their child in September 2024 and said there was nowhere locally to go and reflect.

They set up the Pickering Foundation to create a memorial garden in Jubilee Woods, Dawley Bank, and said there would be a small opening ceremony on Saturday.

Pickering said the garden would "really make a massive difference for so many families".

"Depending on which stage you lose a baby you can't register that baby, so you've got no certificate or evidence that that baby ever existed, so this will hopefully give families a place where they can have a plaque in that baby's name," Pickering added.

He thanked Dawley Town Council for its support as well as the people who donated money to pay for the garden.

Pickering said the project had given him and his partner "something to focus on" after their loss and it had been "nice to come out knowing we're going to make a difference".

The garden includes a metal tree at its centre, which has leaves each dedicated to a family that has lost a baby.

He said: "It isn't something you can prepare for because it's not something you'd expect, so this is hopefully going to give people who've gone through that some sort of peace and somewhere to come and take some time out.

"It's nice sitting here in the woodland, the birds are tweeting, it's nice and quiet, so hopefully it will give families some comfort," he added.

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