Shefford home creates ‘remembrance fence’ for residents and community to remember loved ones

A Shefford home has created a ‘remembrance fence’ where residents and members of the community can remember their loved ones.

The fence is located near the reception area at MHA Oak Manor with residents, staff, family members and the community invited to add their own memorial padlocks.

The purpose of the fence is to allow everyone to remember their loved ones and offer them a hub to reflect on their memories.

Home manager Fay Gooch was inspired by the lovelocks on the Great Wall of China and is hoping it becomes a meaningful communal space.

She said: “I saw that they had something like this in China and, following Chinese New Year, I thought it would be the perfect time to start something like this.

“I told the families of residents as well as staff and residents and they all really liked the idea.

“I want our remembrance fence to be something the whole community can get involved in.

“I posted it in on a local Facebook group page and the feedback was great.

“We have already had a couple of padlocks go on and I am confident we will see more as time progresses.

“I have already ordered some padlocks for myself that I want to put on and I'm hoping it's a tradition that carries on for a long time and one day people will look back and see all the different padlocks.”

The home offers 64 places for residential and dementia care and has space for at least a 100 padlocks.