Cloister garden, Longden Road Cemetery, Shrewsbury

Dear Parents and family members,

The commemorative memorial to remember babies and infants sadly passed away and then cremated at Emstrey Crematorium when ashes were not recovered is now installed within the cloister garden at Longden Road Cemetery, Shrewsbury.

Throughout the various stages we have worked closely with parents, the parent group Action for Ashes and the group’s chair, Mr Glen Perkins. It has been a long journey to reach this stage, thank you for your patience and understanding whilst we worked carefully and sensitively to achieve what parents told us they wanted.

We sincerely hope the memorial is a fitting tribute and that also the location works well for parents and families to visit so they can grieve for, pay their respects to and remember their children in a positive way. Until now parents and families have had nowhere to visit to focus their necessary emotions; Hopefully this location will enable parents and families to obtain comfort from, by having somewhere specific to visit for this purpose.

The memorial and memorial name plaques acknowledge their purpose, reflecting upon the events of the past but also add in a positive way to the cloister garden area.

Thank you to the parents and family members whom have contributed ideas during the various consultations.

Glen Perkins, Chair of the Action for Ashes group said;

"The Commemorative Memorial to remember babies whose ashes were not retrieved following cremation at Emstrey crematorium is now magnificently installed at the cloister garden at Longden Road Cemetery. The memorial is a welcomed conclusion to a very long and painful process, which initiated multiple ideas and changes, to reach a satisfactory end.

We now have somewhere for parents to remember their children and to leave them flowers, cards and small items to commemorate dates respectfully special to their Parents, Brothers, Sisters, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and anyone who cares to remember the tragic double loss of these children.

I would like to thank Lottie O’Leary who created the memorial for her hard and determined efforts and fantastic finished work of art so that we may remember our babies for as long as we shall live.

I would also like to extend my grateful thanks to Mark Foxall, Manager of Shropshire Council’s Bereavement Services who at every stage worked with great sensitivity and care to ensure the memorial was installed.

I wish also to express my condolences and deep sympathy to two families whom sadly have lost members of their respective families whom became friends during the process of agreeing and installing the memorial. This memorial is for them too.

I dedicate the memorial to our babies and the families who bravely stepped forward and challenged where challenge was due and whose efforts have helped to modernise and change 100-year old laws. We hold our heads high and are proud of what we have achieved. Our work at Action 4 Ashes continues as we strive to ensure the events that occurred at Emstrey are never experienced again by parents of the future.

The memorial is gratefully received by Action 4 Ashes as too is the location of its siting which provides a private, peaceful and accessible setting for parents to visit 365 days of the year."