A community will come together for Baby Loss Awareness Week events in Clacton next month.

The Ribbon Wall will be at the railing at the memorial garden for its sixth year, where bereaved families can add a ribbon of any colour.

Maria Gormley, 54, a volunteer for the Sands charity, organises the Ribbon Wall. 

She said: “It’s a lovely way to remember. It gets people talking and once you see it you can’t just walk past it.

Special - Anyone can have a ribbon of any colour to add to the wall to remember the baby they lost. Special - Anyone can have a ribbon of any colour to add to the wall to remember the baby they lost. (Image: Maria Gormley)

“Some people add balloons and all sorts of things, and teddies that local companies have sponsored.

“It gives them a sense of closeness to their baby by adding a ribbon to the display.

“Families have somewhere to go, and just to visit it and see it is beautiful.”

Maria's daughter was stillborn 36 years ago, which was unexplained.

Maria said: “She was absolutely perfect in every way.

“I was very young at the time, and I’ve always got a real passion for raising awareness as it wasn’t talked about.”

Support - Maria has created the Ribbon Wall, other events, and a local support group for bereaved families. Support - Maria has created the Ribbon Wall, other events, and a local support group for bereaved families. (Image: Maria Gormley)

Maria created a Sands support group in Clacton, as there was "nowhere for people to go".

She said: “It is very important, and our ribbon displays bring the baby loss community together.

"It is a very special way for so many bereaved families to remember their precious little ones.”

For the first time, there will also be ribbon displays at Thorpe le Soken and Holland on Sea.

Maria has also organised a 5k Ribbon Run to raise more funds for Sands on October 12.

Community - Clacton comes together to support bereaved families and remember their babies for Baby Loss Awareness Week. Community - Clacton comes together to support bereaved families and remember their babies for Baby Loss Awareness Week. (Image: Maria Gormley)

She said: “We start at the Ribbon Display, do a 5k route along the seafront and finish at the Ribbon Display, and anyone can sign up and be sponsored.

“Last year over 600 people took part, even families with pushchairs.

“It’s so important and I know it means so much to our local community.”

Sands is the UK’s leading stillbirth and neonatal death charity which promotes and funds research, and supports bereaved families affected by the death of a baby for as long as they need it.

Baby Loss Awareness Week takes place from October 9-15.

To donate to Maria, search Clacton Sands ribbon display on www.justgiving.com.