Connecting the Sands community and remembering our much-loved babies.
Sands has a beautiful, peaceful garden at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire as well as many remembrance gardens around the UK which you can find on the map below.
It is a special space where you can come and place a stone with your baby or babies name on and sit amongst the trees and flowers to think about them. You may have attended one of our Sands Garden Days previously and this year we are making some changes.
Instead of one large annual event, this year we're going to have two smaller, more personal memorial events taking place at the Sands Garden.
A member of our Bereavement Support Team will be there to chat with you and hold short acts of remembrance with a poem or reading in the garden on specific dates during the year. Our volunteers across the UK also hold regional events outdoors and in remembrance gardens near you.
Dates for you to meet us at the Sands Garden:
- Saturday 4 July 2026 between 12:00-2:00pm
- Thursday 24 September 2026 between 12:00-2:00pm
At 12:30pm on both days, we will hold a gentle, short act of remembrance and reflection. Afterwards, please feel free to stay for a chat or take a peaceful stroll through the rest of the Arboretum.
The Sands Garden at the National Memorial Arboretum remains a sanctuary for you all year round. It is always there for you as a peaceful place to visit and remember your baby. And there are many local gardens of remembrance that Sands Groups and volunteers either manage or support in their area. If you would like to visit one, you can see where they are on this map.
Travel
The Arboretum is accessible from the motorway and by public transport. Find out about getting to the venue.
Please note, if you are planning to drive, we advise that you book parking in advance.
Sands Garden Day is special to me, why is it not happening this year?
We will still have moments throughout the year where we can come together at the Sands Garden at the National Memorial Arboretum. A member of our Bereavement Support team will be there to welcome you, listen, and offer support on Saturday 4 July between 12-2pm and Thursday 24 July between 12-2pm.
Do I have to book to attend one of these events at the Sands Garden?
No, you don’t have to book. A member of our Bereavement Support team will be waiting in the garden to welcome you and be there between 12-2pm to offer support. At 12:30pm on both days, we will hold a gentle, short act of remembrance and reflection outdoors, in the garden, after which you are welcome to walk around the Arboretum or stay a while in the Sands Garden.
Can I still visit the Sands Garden at any time?
Yes of course. The Sands Garden at the National Memorial Arboretum will always be there for you to visit, we know that it’s a special place for so many. The dedications that are there will stay there and continued to be cared for.
Is there a garden of remembrance in my local area?
There are also many local gardens of remembrance around the UK, if you would like to visit one, you can see where they are on this map. Most are managed by our incredible volunteers, please do contact volunteering@sands.org.uk if this is something you would like to be involved in your community.