stories from the memorial garden

Tyˆ Hafan is full of areas that mean the world to the families who use the hospice. The music room, playroom, the Den and the multisensory room have featured in Cwtch, and each one adds to the lives of Tyˆ Hafan families in their own way. But perhaps in terms of places that mean the most, that honour must go to the memorial garden.

Tyˆ Hafan’s idyllic location on the banks of the Bristol Channel offers children and their families tranquillity and a haven of relaxation and reflection. The garden makes that even more special. The Birdsong installation, “These names will be forever in our skies”, is a unique and touching way of continuing the legacy of the children and young people who pass through our lives. It aims to remember and celebrate the lives of the children who have died through the medium of birdsong. Each child’s name is translated using Morse code into the song of the bird which sings the loudest in the month the child died and is followed by a silence of one second for each year of the child’s life. The piece currently runs at over two and a half hours and plays in the memorial garden. You can find out more about the installation by searching ‘birdsong’ on our website.

Pauline Harvey’s daughter Abigail has her memory celebrated in robin song, so the garden means so much to her and her family. Here Pauline reflects on the emotionally charged launch of Birdsong:

“I stood in the Memorial Garden gazebo listening as the individual birdsongs came from different areas of the garden. Sometimes one bird seemed to follow on almost immediately from the one before, sometimes the gaps were so long it came as a surprise when the next one began. All the songs were very different from each other, unique and beautiful. And a surprising thing happened, it felt as though the emotional downpour lifted and the sun came out from behind the clouds (the actual real rain continued unabated, the weather was horrific and clearly had no sense of occasion). “I felt overwhelming warmth and comfort. I was no longer waiting to hear Abigail’s name, that didn’t seem to matter anymore, she was part of the chorus, she was part of every birdsong, the silences celebrated each individual short life, but it felt like all the children were together in the song of each bird. Abigail is not alone, she is with friends and they are joyfully singing. “I’m sure each person who experiences “These names will be forever in our skies” will feel something different. The experience will be unique to them. It’s a beautiful, inspired, humbling, breathtaking addition to the memorial garden, for which I personally feel hugely grateful to Tyˆ Hafan, Sound Artist Justin Wiggan and Tyˆ Hafan’s own Head of Community Services Tracy Jones." The installation has been recognised by the Royal Society for Public Health and shortlisted for the Arts in Health Award, to be announced in late October.

Brian Medley, who volunteers as a gardener for Tyˆ Hafan, said:

“Idon’t have any personal link toTyˆ Hafanother than being a Penarth boy and everyone in Penarth has a soft spot for the local hospiceand the shop in the town. “The garden atTyˆ Hafanisa good place to learn from the other volunteers, some of whomhave gardens and allotments. Working a garden is never the same two weeks running, I have seen the flower beds die off in autumn and get pruned back in winter. I can’t wait to see the new life budding forth in spring, so I get a lot of personal enjoyment from it. “If improving the environment helps withwellbeing,I feel it’sdefinitelyaworthwhile use of my time and energy.The garden is a special place for the families who use it as away to make memories, especially as some of the children are so fragile, and I am happy to know that I can have a small part in supporting them. “I’d also just like to say howspecial it is that without exception, every member of theTyˆ Hafanteam who I have come across in the garden, on emails and the Zoom virtual meeting have been so appreciative. It’s amazing that a few hours’ work can do so much to lift everyone’s spirits."