A dedicated memory wall for bereaved families has been unveiled at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

Following conversations with parents who have lost babies, the artwork was designed to offer families another way to remember them.

Personally handcrafted by Kate Buckley from the Trust's Milk Bank, the colourful display features dandelions, butterflies and lavender - creating a dedicated space where the names of babies who have died can be displayed and remembered.

Developed in partnership with the Trust's Bereavement and Memory Milk Bank Teams, the wall provides families with the choice to add a lasting tribute to their babies.

Each family who chooses to have their baby's name hand painted on the wall will receive a photograph of their baby's name on the display, along with a hand-decorated memory pebble as a lasting keepsake.

"Having supported families through the Milk Bank Memory Milk Gift Initiative, I've been able to see just how much it means to parents for their babies to be honoured and remembered, if that's what they choose to do," said Kate Buckley, Milk Bank co-ordinator at the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust."

Kate explained that the dandelion became the centrepiece of the design due to being a symbol of hope.

She added: "I just hope that when families see their baby's name on the wall, they don't feel alone. I want them to know that someone is thinking of them now and in the future."

The memory wall forms part of the Trust's wider Memory Milk Gift Initiative which was developed by the Milk Bank at Chester to support families following the loss of a baby.

The award-winning programme offers emotional, practical and wellbeing support to parents experiencing lactation after baby loss, providing choices around milk donation, keepsakes and remembrance.

Shaped by the experiences of bereaved families, the initiative aims to ensure parents feel supported, understood and able to honour their baby's memory in a way that feels right for them.

Alongside the memory wall, families supported through the programme can also access other dedicated remembrance opportunities, including the Memory Milk Garden within the Countess of Chester Country Park, creating lasting spaces for reflection and remembrance.

"We know how much it means for parents to say their baby's name out loud," said Lesley Roe, bereavement midwife at the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. "Seeing it displayed on our memory wall offers reassurance that their baby is remembered, their name is seen, and their baby continues to be spoken about."

"Many bereaved parents may never see their child's name on a school register or school photograph, but the memory wall provides a special place where their baby's name is displayed."

The memory wall is located within the Trust's award-winning Women and Children's Building, which opened in September 2025 and has been widely recognised for its family-focused design.

Privacy and dignity are at the heart of the design, with the suite located away from busy maternity and neonatal areas and offering a separate entrance, dedicated parking, soundproofing and access to private outdoor space.

Facilities include a family lounge, ensuite bathroom, overnight accommodation for partners, refreshments and dedicated memory-making spaces.

Parents are able to spend precious time with their baby in a calm, comfortable setting, with opportunities to create keepsakes and hold naming, blessing or other personal ceremonies.