Annual Snowdrop Walk – A time to remember

The annual Snowdrop Walk, a time for bereaved families, will take place on Sunday, February 17 in the grounds of Shane’s Castle, Castle Road, Antrim.

This can be a difficult time and the snowdrop walk is an opportunity for families who have suffered a pregnancy loss or the death of a child, to remember their loved one with others.

This year the remembrance event will be extended to include the Trust’s tiny baby burial site at Belmont Cemetery, Antrim. In preparation for this annual Snowdrop Remembrance event and in order to facilitate the regular re-opening and maintenance of the site it will be necessary for the Trust to remove all mementos that are currently in place. The Trust asks that all future tributes and mementos be floral ones.

These will be removed every two months to ensure that the Trust meets its responsibility for ensuring that this tiny baby burial site remains tidy, well maintained and respectful of the memory of these precious babies.

It is not possible for the Trust to individually contact parents who have left mementos and it is hoped that parents understand and appreciate the reason for the need to remove these. If a parent wishes to remove his or her own memento they are welcomed and encouraged to do this before 2 February 2013. Any non-floral mementos remaining after this date will be kept for a period of six weeks during which you can contact the Trust Bereavement Co-ordinator on 028 94424992 to organise collection.

During the Annual Snowdrop Walk at Shane’s Castle parents and relatives will have the opportunity to plant a snowdrop bulb in memory of their loved one in an area designated by Lord O’Neill, within the castle’s burial ground.

Gates open at 1.00pm with the welcome, dedication and poem recital at 2.00pm. Bulb planting will take place between 2.15pm and 3.15pm.

It is also planned to rededicate our tiny baby burial site at Belmont cemetery at 3pm. Families are welcome to attend.