Gift of dignity to grieving parents

DURING a time of intense loss, two local community groups have come together to help grieving parents.

Members of the Clarence Plains Community Shed and Clarendon Vale Neighbourhood House are making small, lined caskets for stillborn babies and for premature babies who pass away.

The community shed men construct the boxes in their woodworking shed and women connected to the neighbourhood house line them with soft materials.

Shed co-ordinator Keith Ellis said the coffins would be donated to the Royal Hobart Hospital and the group was looking to extend the service to the Hobart Private and Calvary hospitals.

“When someone has a stillborn child under 20 weeks it’s not considered to be a person as such and therefore there’s no birth or death certificate and they can’t be registered for a funeral,” Mr Ellis said.

“Our understanding was that hospitals were giving the remains to the parents in cardboard boxes.

“When that was mentioned to us, all the guys here decided we would do something to help.

“They were very teary and emotional about it — we just wanted to give the parents some sort of dignity in such a horrendous time.”

Mr Ellis said the project was entirely funded by the community shed.

“Currently we pay for the materials ourselves — from the timber point of view especially. We’d love someone to come on board and donate the materials,” he said.

Senior social workers Suzanne Smith and Margaret Hughes said the Grief Counselling Service at the RHH greatly appreciated the casket donations.

“It is hoped that grieving parents will feel supported by this kind gesture during a time of significant loss,” Ms Smith said.

Shed member Robin Johnson, 83, has been in charge of making all the small coffins so far.

He said it was a privilege to be part of the work.