Coleraine mum provides memory boxes for other grieving parents

Mandy Neill's little baby girl Lily was born early in March of this year at the Causeway Hospital in Coleraine.

Amid the family's deep grief at losing their "little angel", the Shellbridge Park mum is putting all her energy into providing memory boxes for any other parents who have to go through the same experience.

"Since giving birth to my angel and having to leave the hospital with next to nothing to keep and treasure of Lily, both myself and my husband and our families are trying to set up a charity to raise money to supply memory boxes for the hospital," said Mandy.

"You go into hospital with all your hopes and dreams and walk out again with just a book," added the mum-of-six who stressed that hospital staff provided them with everything they had available.

"But our aim is to provide memory boxes which will contain a disposable camera - which is the one Item I really wish I had had at the time.

"We also want to provide a clay imprint kit to take the baby's hand and footprints, a photoframe, a candle to light in remembrance, a blanket that you can wrap your angel in.

"There will also be two teddy bears - one for baby and the other for mummy and daddy, a ribbon that will be handmade by us and will feature a little lily which is our tribute to our Lily."

Mandy's family are busy knitting little hats and bootees which will also be included in the boxes and they are being helped by a midwife from America who learned of the project via Mandy's facebook page.

Mandy and her husband Steven are hoping to present 20 memory boxes to the Causeway Hospital in the next few weeks and are asking anyone who would like to help provide memory boxes in the future to get in touch with them via the Facebook page Forever Our Angels.