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 Paula Jackson first heard the names of Zoe and Clive Gentle whilst having a conversation with a friend. It was a conversation that would change her life in so many ways.
Paula had agreed to help Clive by tracing Zoe's resting place and by the close of 2003 and after a long and emotional rollercoaster of a journey, 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 Paula decided that she would like to do something positive in honour of Zoe and all the other babies and children buried at the cemetery. Initially Paula had only wanted to establish a remembrance book for children who had died. During a meeting about this, it was suggested that Paula & several members of the armed services set up an organisation for bereaved families; which they did this is called the Friends of Aldershot Military Cemetery. Paula had agreed that support was needed for the families, however her wish was to work with families who have been bereaved of a child, after all a baby were all this started.
Both the Friends of Aldershot Military Cemetery and Brief Lives - Remembered were 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.