WATCH: Wave of light shines bright in Inverness for baby loss awareness week
The charity Held In Our Hearts and dozens people from in and around Inverness paid tribute to babies who tragically died this year with a wave of light walk along the River Ness.
This marks the 22nd anniversary of Baby Loss Awareness Week in the UK – a week for everyone in the baby loss community and beyond to come together to remember much loved and missed babies.
Whilst Held In Our Hearts was founded as a charity over 40 years ago to provide counselling support for those suffering baby loss, they only formed a base in Inverness and the Highlands last year, making it the city’s second wave of light.
The fundraiser aimed to present an opportunity to connect with the community of bereaved parents that the charity supports and for others to show their solidarity through taking part to raise vital funds for their work.
The Held In Our Hearts team know from experience that after the loss of a precious baby, bereaved parents and families find themselves on a new path they never expected to be on.
The city walk of light was held in conjunction with the Global Wave of Light, an annual observance that honours and remembers babies who have died during pregnancy, childbirth, or infancy.
Around 80 people took part in this year’s Inverness event, which started at the Glen Mhor Hotel and finished at the Ness Islands where a moment of silence was held and candles were laid in remembrance, in addition to a piper who played a moving air.
Lindsay Donaldson, peer support and hospital liaison with Held In Our Hearts, said: “I think it is really important here in the HIghlands as we can see that even in the two years of running this event there has been such a growth in our community.
“Families are coming together, it wasn’t just bereaved parents who were at the event, there were children, siblings, grandparents and there was a real sense of community tonight, so you can see how much it is needed.”
