The 23rd April 2008 started damp and miserable and all our committee’s eyes were on the clouds. Should we or shouldn’t we put up our gazebo in the cemetery to shield our guests from the rain, because today was the day our new Bishop, Bishop Terry, would kindly visit us and bless the Baby Memorial in Redcar Cemetery. This was erected in 2007 to mark the area where 150 babies were buried in unmarked and communal graves.

The weather had faired when Bishop Terry was welcomed by myself as chairman and our treasurer, Dot Ahmed. He was then introduced to our committee and the Headteacher of St Benedict’s School who had kindly brought six children to lay flowers on the memorial. The party numbering about sixty people made our way to the memorial. I welcomed Bishop Terry and we sang ‘He’s got the Whole World’. I then invited the children to place the flowers donated by ‘Buds ‘n’ Blooms’ in the vases, after which Bishop Terry said prayers and blessed the memorial and offered his blessing to the crowd. Our last hymn was sung before Bishop Terry was invited to walk to the area where Catholic clergy are buried to offer a blessing and prayer. All too soon it was time for Bishop Terry to leave and prepare for Confirmations in St Alban’s, Redcar. Bishop Terry was presented with a scroll to commemorate his visit by our 94 year old President, Mrs Vera Robinson MBE.

Ged Fleming

Chair, 'Friends of Redcar Cemetery'