Wednesday 7th August, 6pm at the Douglas Hotel, 43-45 Market Street, Aberdeen
Bereaved parents in Aberdeen involved in the recent baby ashes scandal are being urged to attend a public meeting this week.
Thompsons Solicitors’ Aberdeen branch is facilitating the meeting at the request of parents who believe there are many more people in the city who have been affected by the scandal who have not come forward.
One parent whose baby was cremated at Hazlehead Crematorium in the 90s has recently found out that her daughter’s ashes were in fact scattered in a Garden of Remembrance, despite being told there were no remains. The parent, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “The last few months have been a living hell since finding out I had been lied to about my baby’s remains. This is the cruellest and most appalling way a grieving parent can be treated and those of us who have been affected need to support each other.
“In recent weeks I have met parents, who like me have been left devastated by what happened all those years ago. It has been frightening and confusing and at times I have been at a complete loss as to what to do. Speaking to others who are in exactly the same situation and have established support groups has been a huge help to me and made me realise there is hope that we can get the answers we need.
“I believe there are many more parents locally who are suffering in the same way as I am, and I hope they will attend the meeting to allow us to help each other move on and to campaign for a public inquiry. An inquiry is the only way to finally establish the whole truth about the gruesome practices at Hazlehead and other crematoria across Scotland.”
Campaign groups in Edinburgh and Glasgow have already been established and are actively campaigning for a public inquiry. Chris Gordon, partner at Thompsons Solicitors Aberdeen says parents need to come together to fight for the answers they desperately need. He said: “It is a shocking indictment on this country that grieving parents are having to fight tooth and nail for information about their deceased children which should never have been withheld from them in the first place and in some cases continues to be withheld from them now.
“Unfortunately it seems that the Scottish Government is determined to obstruct parents at every turn in establishing the truth about a desperately sad situation and they have been left with no option but to call for a public inquiry. It is our hope that through a public meeting we can establish the extent of the problem in the north east and bring parents together to support each other and strengthen their argument for an inquiry which would give answers and allow them to finally grieve properly for their much loved babies.”
A public meeting on the disposal of baby ashes will be held at 6pm in the Douglas Hotel, Aberdeen. Anyone who has been affected by the scandal or with an interest in the issue is invited to attend.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
The public meeting will be held at 6pm on Wednesday 7th August at the Douglas Hotel, 43-45 Market Street, Aberdeen AB11 5EL.
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