Garden opens for grieving parents after Rochester Cathedral service

A memorial garden to help grieving parents will open today.

Medway charity Making Miracles has created a haven in Rochester Cathedral Cemetery for mums and dads who have lost a baby.

The garden includes a book of remembrance and an area where parents are able to place pebbles which can be engraved with a name and date.

Making Miracles has leased the land from Rochester Cathedral and will hold a evensong service there on Sunday before the garden is opened by charity founder Kelly Wells, chairman Sally Howells and patron, the Dean of Rochester, Canon Philip Hesketh.

Mrs Wells said: “This is what we have been waiting for – it will be such a special day.”

Mrs Howells said: “It will be a day of reflection and we hope the garden will provide comfort to many families in Medway. There is nothing like this locally and we are very pleased to celebrate this day with the wonderful service at the cathedral.”

The garden will be open from 9am to 4pm every day. Making Miracles supports families who have high risk and life-threatening pregnancies and those who have lost a baby.

It was set up by mum Kelly Wells after her daughter overcame the odds when she was diagnosed with a rare heart condition in the womb.

The service at Rochester Cathedral starts at 3.15pm today (Sunday). For details email sally@makingmiracles.org.uk or visit makingmiracles.org.uk/