Council secures £12k in funding for baby memorial garden

A total of £12,000 has been secured by Glasgow City Council to create a baby memorial garden at Lambhill Cemetery.

A report presented to members of the environments and liveable neighbourhoods committee earlier this week highlighted how the council’s bereavement services had been working to secure the funding to create the memorial within the cemetery on Balmore Road.

It will be situated at the common ground baby section and initial feasibility surveys have already taken place.

Glasgow’s NRS (neighbourhoods, regeneration and sustainability) Bereavement Services has the responsibility for 33 cemeteries and churchyards.

While the only statutory requirement in terms of bereavement services relates to the need for the council to provide a burial ground, statutory legislation is also in place to govern the interment, cremation, and memorial headstone inspection processes.

This will include Lambhill Cemetery, which according to the Commonwealth Wargraves Commission also contains 114 scattered burials of the First World War, 123 from the Second World War and one Norwegian war grave.

During a committee meeting earlier this week questions were asked about opportunities for further baby memorials across the city.

Chairwoman and councillor Elaine McSporran said: “Can I ask the first question of the potential for creating a baby memorial in other cemeteries across Glasgow, obviously including the one in the ward of Cardonald.”

A council spokesperson said: “There have been a lot of news reports recently about how baby deaths were handled across Britain in the past so that is something that local authorities across Scotland are looking at.

“Where we can try and right the wrongs of the past where possible. We have had some meetings with various stakeholders at two or three sites across the city so it is something we are looking at, it’s just very early stages.”