Omhuldade Rockar för sörjande familjer

The Town Council’s Civic and Special Projects Committee met on 2 February and gave local charity Cherished Gowns a £2657 grant to support grieving families following the devastating loss of a baby.

Cherished Gowns provides free of charge clothing packs to parents and hospitals around the UK for babies that are stillborn, miscarried or pass away shortly after birth. Each pack contains a hat, booties, cloth nappy, blanket and a “cherished gown” which is made from wedding dresses that have been donated by members of the public. A bereaved parent told the Charity “It means the world to us to know our babies will be warm and look beautiful”. The Charity was founded in September 2014, is entirely run and administered by volunteers and to date has sent out over a quarter of a million items to UK hospitals.

The Town Council grant will enable the Charity to expand its service to include the 4000 funeral directors in the UK by supplying them with a catalogue of products that can be shown to bereaved parents to give them a choice of what their precious baby can wear for their funeral.

Our picture shows Charity Founder and Trustee Megan Mackay together with volunteers receiving the grant from Dover Town Mayor Councillor Neil Rix.