Oxford hospice helps bereaved parents create album of songs in memory of their children

  • ITV News Meridian's Ciaran Fitzpatrick spoke to some of the families involved.

Bereaved families have released an album of songs in memory of their child who died.

Helen & Douglas House children’s hospice in Oxford offered 10 families the unique opportunity to remember their child through the creation of an original song.

The hospice collaborated with The Keepsake Circle Project - who helped write, record and perform the songs.

The songs are now being released to the public and any funds raised from album sales will be donated to Helen & Douglas House.

  • Chloe Jones-Fouracre shared why the experience was so meaningful.

Chloe Jones-Fouracre, a mother from Steventon, created a song about her 16-month-old, Gracie.

Gracie died in May 2019 after a long spell in and out of hospital. Helen & Douglas House later asked the family to take part as a form of music therapy.

When asked what it meant to her and her family to get involved, she said: “So much, it was a breath of freash air, we’ve got something to remember Gracie by."

The songs were created with the help of internationally-accalimed singer Kiki Deville, who has appeared on The Voice and was on Will.I.Am’s team.

Kiki is also a bereaved mother, which Chloe says meant they had additional support from someone who understood what they were going through.

Chloe added: “It meant more because [Kiki] had been through the same thing. She said once, 'It’s like we’re part of the same club, a club that no one wants to be part of.'"

  • Andrea Lambert from Helen & Douglas House says they are only the second hospice in the UK to be able to offer this service.

Andrea Lambert from Helen & Douglas House said: “I am so delighted we have been able to add the Keepsake Circle project to our bereavement services.

"We have seen how much the process of writing and producing a song in their child’s memory can help the families with their loss.

“It gives us a unique opportunity to work with those who come to us for talking therapies already and also those who do not use our traditional talking therapies.

 “Working with the Keepsake Circle gives another choice in our bereavement toolkit so that we can reach out to more families and better support those who might otherwise not use our services."

Kiki Deville performed the songs at a private concert for friends and families at Helen & Douglas House Credit: ITV News Meridian

Kiki Deville's son Dexter, died 17 years ago. He was cared for by Derian House children’s hospice in Lancashire.

She met Angus during lockdown, and together they piloted a project with Derian House, for an album for bereaved parents.

Kiki Deville said: "It was so lovely to be welcomed to Helen & Douglas House. We were made to feel like family. The team has been wonderful, supportive, professional, and incredibly organised."

Angus Powell said: "It’s been such a heart-warming experience. The team and the families have been absolutely amazing.

"We feel incredibly proud to do what we do, to meet these wonderfully inspiring people and hear all about their children."

Music therapy is a key part of the work at Helen & Douglas House, so this project was a natural next step for the team. Credit: ITV News Meridian

Helen & Douglas House children’s hospice provides support for local families with terminally ill children during their lives to help them live life to the full and to the family after their death.

They provide a wide range of services to help support families in their grief, providing individualised emotional and practical support for however long they need it.

The Helen & Douglas House Keepsake Circle album can be listened to or download from Spotify, iTunes, YouTube and Amazon.

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