Woman starts 'Teddy Box' for grieving families
BBCA woman has made it her mission to provide a Christmas present for every baby who has been laid to rest at a crematorium in Herefordshire.
Danielle Green, from Hereford, set up the Teddy Bear Box at Hereford Crematorium in March.
The concept allows parents and family members that have lost children to choose a teddy and place it on their love one's resting place.
Ms Green said: "I wanted every baby to have a Christmas present this year."
She explained: "[The project] originally started in March when I gave away 240 teddy bears to the crematorium as a help yourself service for Mother's Day.
"I created this service because I wanted to give back and I wanted to think of something really kind that was a nice gesture."
Ms Green said the response from people who had used the service had been "very overwhelming".
"As heartbreaking as it is, it does give me great comfort to know that I'm making a difference," she said.
"It's hard enough at Christmas but I do feel truly honoured to have this box here."
Grief expert Lianna Champ described the Teddy Bear Box to BBC Hereford and Worcester as "beautifully considerate".
She said: "When we grieve we do feel isolated, we feel left behind, we feel forgotten because often we have the funeral and people are very involved and very interested.
"They're contacting us but once the funeral has taken place, everybody seems to get back to normal and we feel forgotten.
"So for Danielle, to do something so beautifully considerate, it's like remembering, it's making it important and it brings comfort.
"It reminds us that there is kindness out there."
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