First leaves in place on commemorative Rainbow Tree

The first leaves have been put in place on the “Rainbow Tree” in Warwick Hospital’s Quiet Garden.

Several families who have experienced neonatal death or stillbirth joined together with Midwife Holly Hawkesford to hang engraved glass leaves on the steel tree on Tuesday 21 August.

Holly said: “The first leaves being hung on the rainbow tree was a poignant moment in a long journey, I was delighted that we had families come together to mark the occasion and to remember their babies”.

The 13 colourful commissioned leaves were hung by different families following speeches from Holly and Yvonne Hood, who was Holly’s bereavement midwife when her son Jasper died at a few hours of age in 2014. Ahead of the occasion the quiet garden was spruced up thanks to the help of hospital staff and Holly’s family and friends.

Head of Midwifery at Warwick Hospital, Sarah Noble, said: “The rainbow tree is a beautiful addition to the garden; we hope that it is a place where families can come to quietly reflect. The whole team at Warwick Hospital is very proud of the efforts that have gone into making this important project a reality.”

Please contact midwife Holly Hawkesford at jaspersrainbow@gmail.com for further information on commissioning leaves for the Rainbow Tree.

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