Sculpture memorial plan after Aberdeen baby cremation scandal

A SCULPTURE is to be placed in a memorial garden for families affected by the baby ashes scandal at Aberdeen Crematorium.

Hazlehead park is a possible location for child memorial garden. Picture: Contributed

The city’s councillors have commissioned an artist, sculptor or craftsperson to develop a design for the work.

Following a national investigation, launched after failings were discovered at Mortonhall in Edinburgh, the ashes of babies were found to have been mixed together with those of adults at Hazlehead Crematorium, before being given back to relatives of the adults.

Also, many parents of parents were told that there were no ashes.

A total of 205 compensation claims have been lodged against Aberdeen City Council.

The memorial will be developed within a secluded part of Hazlehead Park andit is expected the garden and sculpture will both be installed by next summer.

A small working party which will look at the designs put forward and reduce them to a final list of four which will then be considered by the entire group.

They are open to considering a variety of art forms, welcoming both traditional and contemporary approaches to the subject matter.

The group is looking for an artist with the ability to reflect, in the form of a sculpture, both the sadness of past events and their hope for the future.

They have identified a wish for the garden and the sculpture to evoke feelings of reflectiveness, peace, remembrance, forward looking, uplifting, sorrow, hope, love, stillness, responsibility and reconciliation.

The commission will consist of two stages. Four artists will be shortlisted to present their proposals for the commission, submitting visualisations, a budget and timetable for completing the work.

The successful artist will be chosen by the working group following interviews, with the commission awarded mid to late December 2017.

Anyone interested in a full artists brief, or would like further information, should contact Karen McDonald on 01224 522341 or [email protected]

The closing date for artists to provide their submission is noon on 24 July.

The Working Group meetings are being chaired by John Birrell from Cruse Bereavement Care Scotland, who has vast experience in bereavement care and was a member of the Infant Cremation Commission.

Cruse Bereavement Care Scotland has offered its support to families on 0845 600 2227, and anyone affected can also contact SANDS Aberdeen on 0870 7606649 or [email protected].