A SPECIAL garden at Torbay Hospital created as a place of remembrance following baby loss has been thoughtfully enhanced thanks to two local organisations.

Members of the Rotary Club of Torquay have spent many hours over recent months working in the Heartsease Garden, generously volunteering their time and funding new planting to help restore and care for the space.

Their work included clearing overgrown brambles, power washing stonework and paths and replanting areas of the garden, helping to ensure it remains a welcoming space for parents, families and colleagues.

Roy Tuttle, President of the Rotary Club of Torquay, said: ‘Our members were very glad to be able to support this project in a practical way.

‘The Heartsease Garden is a very special space and everyone involved wanted to treat it with real care and respect.

‘Clearing, cleaning and replanting the garden felt like a meaningful way of giving something back to families at a very difficult time’.

Alongside this, the Torbay Hospital League of Friends has funded a new water feature, a teak bench and two large planters for the Heartsease Garden, helping to create a calmer and more peaceful environment for quiet reflection and remembrance.

Martin Tucker, Chair of the Torbay Hospital League of Friends, said: ‘The League of Friends is proud to have been able to fund the water feature for the Heartsease Garden.

‘We know how important this garden is for parents and families following baby loss and our aim was simply to help enhance a space that already offers quiet comfort, reflection and peace’.

Nicola McMinn, Chief Nurse at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, added: ‘The Heartsease Garden is a deeply important part of how we support families after the loss of a baby.

‘It is a place where loved ones can be remembered and honoured, not just in the immediate aftermath of loss but over time, as people return to reflect and remember in their own way.

‘The generosity of the Rotary Club of Torquay, through the time, care and practical effort they have given, alongside the support of the Torbay Hospital League of Friends, has made a genuine difference to this space.

‘On behalf of our midwifery and maternity teams, I want to thank them for their kindness and thoughtfulness’.