"Always loved, never forgotten"
About us - How it all began
The story began on the 2nd August 1960, when twins Zoe and Clive Gentle were born prematurely. Sadly Zoe lost her fight for life and died at nine hours old. Clive survived and lives a full and happy life.
It was on a visit to Sydney, Australia in 2003, that I first heard the names of Zoe and Clive Gentle whilst having a conversation with a friend. It was a conversation that would change my life in so many ways.
I agreed to help Clive by tracing Zoe's resting place and by the close of 2003 I had discovered that Zoe is buried at Aldershot Military Cemetery, Aldershot, Hampshire.
As the story of Zoe's nine hours of life and subsequent death unfolded I decided that I would like to do something positive in honour of Zoe and all the other babies and children buried at the cemetery. Initially I had only wanted to establish a remembrance book for children who had died. During a meeting about this, it was suggested that we set up an organisation for bereaved families; which we did this is called the Friends of Aldershot Military Cemetery. I agreed that support was needed for the families, however my wish was to work with families who have been bereaved of a child.
"Brief Lives - Remembered" was founded in July 2004 by Paula Jackson and the then Garrison Sargent Major Joe Fairbairn. Brief Lives - Remembered was registered as a charity in 2020.
We are a non-profit making charity / organisation.. We support families whose baby was stillborn or born and died in decades gone by, whether they live locally or around the world.
We Provide:
A remembrance book for babies and children
We assist families with tracing their baby's grave
Plans are underway to establish the "Footsteps" project. where we will fund memorials dedicated to babies who were stillborn or who died soon after birth, The memorials will be installed in cemeteries accross the UK.
All the services we offer are free, however any donation you feel you would like to make would be gratefully received.
Remembrance Book
A remembrance book was established in July 2004 and is available to anyone who has had a baby or child buried at Aldershot Military Cemetery or to anyone who has a connection to the British Armed Services. The remembrance book is and will always be a permanent dedication to all our precious babies and children, whether the cause of death was stillbirth, neonatal death, cot death, illness or accident.
The remembrance book is homed at the Royal Garrison Church of All Saints, Aldershot, Hampshire. The book was donated by Aldershot Garrison and the cabinet in which it is homed was deigned and made with funds donated by the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst
Making an entry is free, however any donations you feel you can make towards the cost of calligraphy will be gratefully received. If you feel you would like to enter your child's name in the remembrance book; open the (PDF Form)and upon completion return to the supplied address. For further information about the remembrance book click on the pamphlet.
Altennatively we have an online remembrance book, this is for all bereaved parents. Please look at the page named "We Remember".