Parents to join start of work at memorial

Parents of babies buried at the memorial garden in Bradford are being invited to a ceremony marking the start of work on a new stone boundary wall.

Snowdrop Garden in Scholemoor Cemetery is a communal area where bereaved parents have paid their respects to their children since 1982.

Bradford Council is now working with local companies and suppliers to improve the garden with the creation of a 4ft stone wall boundary, in place of the previous shrubs and bushes.

Bradford council leader and executive member responsible for cemeteries and crematoria, Councillor Ian Greenwood, said: “Snowdrop Garden is one of three baby memorial gardens in the district and it is important that we provide a peaceful area that parents feel comfortable visiting.

“The changes to the boundary wall and memorial plaques should make a significant improvement to the garden which we hope goes down well with visitors.

“I would like to thank the local companies and trades people for their generosity towards the project.”

The first stone of the new boundary wall will be laid at the site at 1.30pm on Tuesday, June 7.

The new boundary will be divided by pillars into 12 sections representing each month of the year, giving parents a designated area to leave flowers or temporary mementoes.

A bigger area for formal memorial plaques is also being created, with natural granite plaques being used for the first time.

All parents with existing memorial plaques have been informed of the new layout and offered a replacement plaque free of charge. No burial areas are being affected by the improvement works.

Local builder Graham Swain has volunteered to construct the wall while stonemason Wright and Sons has provided the plaque engraving.