MP joins families at Butterfly Release event to remember their loss

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Categories: News

Local MP Brendan O’Hara, travelled to Oban, Saturday 26 August to attend the Butterfly Release event organised by Simpson’s Memory Box Appeal (SIMBA).

 

 

 

 

 

Set up in 2005, the charity developed the concept of the Memory Box for parents who had experienced loss of a baby and every year around Scotland the Butterfly event brings those families together to remember their loss. 

The Memory Box contains inkless wipes and card for baby’s hand and footprints, Touched by You blankets, one to embrace baby and one for parents to keep close and when time to say goodbye, the blankets are swapped, and many more items are used to capture those precious moments.

Now twelve years old, the charity works throughout the UK and not only distributes hundreds of Memory boxes to over 200 units, but organises the butterfly events, monthly support group meetings, baby bereavement training and 24/7 support in a private online forum with trained specialists.

The event which took place at Dunolie House saw Mr O’Hara read the poem ‘Baby Footprints’ and release some of the butterflies on behalf of families who could not attend. Mr O’Hara said afterwards,

It has been an incredibly touching and poignant day and brought home to me just how heart-breaking it must be to lose a baby.  In the past, all that midwives had to give to bereaved parents was an envelope with a few momentos of their baby but that has now changed with the Memory Box which goes someway to help parents cope with their loss.  The Butterfly Release events are also incredibly important and is a way of bringing families together to remember their baby. I feel privileged to be invited along to share this day and I am honoured to release some butterflies on behalf of the families.  My thanks to Susan Simpson, Support Group Coordinator for inviting me to be part of this day and for the wonderful but vital work that SIMBA does.”

 

Photo courtesy of Kevin McGlynn

 

More information on Simba can be found at:

www.simbacharity.org.uk

On facebook ~ SiMBA Page

Highland Branch Address: SiMBA, 5 Ach an Duin, Benderloch, Argyll PA37 1QP

Highland Branch Tel: 07771358382 / 01631 720 107