The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A mother and father have planted the first rose at a Holbeach memorial garden in memory of their daughter.
Last week saw the soft opening of the Hallgate Memorial Garden, a Holbeach Parish Council community service where people can commemorate loved ones with a bush and plaque.
Coun Reet Patchett, chairman of cemeteries, invited Glory Kisinja and her partner James Wiles to plant the first rose bush in honour of their daughter Amelia Rose-Mae Wiles who had passed away in 2016.
Amelia’s father, James said: “We are very grateful of this opportunity to come and plant the first rose bush at the Hallgate Memorial Garden for Amelia. We had only just got matching tattoos of a rose to commemorate her so when we saw in the paper that the parish council was going to offer this, Glory rang the offices.
“It has been a very difficult situation to process, but having somewhere nice to come back to and visit with the children will help.”
The project was delivered through the raising of grants and donations from local people on the back of feedback received last year from a separate opinion poll.
Coun Patchett, said: “After feedback last year around the cemeteries from the public it was clear that people wanted more from their cemeteries and Hallgate needed something to make it feel more welcoming.
“The wall was an idea that has worked well for others, giving the chance for a plaque to go up to commemorate your loved one.
“The ability to scatter ashes as well as to have a rose bush in the garden will help families with their loss and give them somewhere peaceful to return to.”
Contact the council holbeachpc@btconnect.com
