Community support helps transform Torbay Hospital baby loss garden

A special garden at Torbay Hospital created as a place of remembrance for families affected by baby loss has been thoughtfully enhanced thanks to the generosity, time and effort of two local organisations.

The Heartsease Garden, which provides a quiet space for reflection and remembrance, has been improved following months of work by members of the Rotary Club of Torquay and funding support from the Torbay Hospital League of Friends.

Volunteers from the Rotary Club have spent many hours working in the garden, carrying out extensive restoration and maintenance. Their work has included clearing overgrown brambles, power-washing stone paths and restoring planted areas to help bring the space back to life.

The group also contributed funding for new planting, helping to ensure the garden remains a welcoming and peaceful environment for parents, families and hospital staff.

Roy Tuttle, president of the Rotary Club of Torquay, said members were proud to support a project of such importance to the local community.

“Our members were very glad to be able to support this project in a practical way,” he said. “The Heartsease Garden is a very special space and everyone involved wanted to treat it with real care and respect. Clearing, cleaning and replanting the garden felt like a meaningful way of giving something back to families at a very difficult time.”

Alongside this, the Torbay Hospital League of Friends has funded additional improvements, including a new water feature, a teak bench and two large planters, all designed to enhance the sense of calm within the space.

Martin Tucker, chair of the League of Friends, said the support was intended to strengthen an already meaningful area for families.

“The League of Friends is proud to have been able to fund the water feature for the Heartsease Garden,” he said. “We know how important this garden is for parents and families following baby loss and our aim was simply to help enhance a space that already offers quiet comfort, reflection and peace.”

Nicola McMinn, chief nurse at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said the garden plays a vital role in supporting families both immediately after loss and in the years that follow.

“The Heartsease Garden is a deeply important part of how we support families after the loss of a baby,” she said. “It is a place where loved ones can be remembered and honoured, not just in the immediate aftermath of loss but over time, as people return to reflect and remember in their own way.

“The generosity of the Rotary Club of Torquay, alongside the support of the League of Friends, has made a genuine difference to this space.”

The Heartsease Garden continues to offer a peaceful sanctuary for remembrance within the hospital grounds.