A Cornwall woman, Kayleigh Barrett, has established a heartfelt memorial for her stillborn daughter and other grieving families in her community. Living in Carnon Downs, Barrett initiated a project inviting locals to knit woollen ribbons in memory of babies who were stillborn or died shortly after birth.
Approximately 60 knitted ribbons have been tied to a metal horse sculpture located in the center of the village. This effort gained momentum as Barrett shared her initiative on social media.
To support the community, Barrett stood by the sculpture for an hour each evening for a week. She welcomed anyone who wanted to light a candle or discuss the painful topic of child loss.
At 37, Barrett was nearing full term with her daughter, Lyra Mae, in January when she realized something was wrong. A subsequent scan revealed that doctors could not find a heartbeat, leading to the delivery of her daughter by Caesarean section.
Barrett shared, “She came out perfectly fine, apart from no heartbeat. I already have a six-year-old, so she has kept me going, and I cried a lot. But my six-year-old and my husband helped me through it. It was hard.”
Her memorial idea was inspired by Baby Loss Awareness Week, which runs from October 9-15. The concept of tying knitted ribbons to the metal horse resonated with many people after she posted about it online.
Barrett explained, “I sat down for about three hours, writing names and putting tags on every baby that has been lost around the area. It’s just so people can remember their babies, and it raises awareness that it’s okay to talk about it.”
She emphasized her desire to support others in their grief: “I wanted to do things for other people; that’s how I’ve dealt with it.”
A special purple and pink ribbon with the name Lyra Mae sits proudly on the horse’s nose. Barrett noted, “She is still with us. My daughter doesn’t stop talking about her, which is really lovely. She will always be there.”
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