Located in our beautiful 7.5-acre nature reserve at The Ark, our Butterfly Woodland Walk is full of colourful butterflies designed and created by artist Paul Cox.
Each one has a tag attached, inscribed with a message celebrating and honouring a child who has died.
A gift from Noah’s Ark, funded by charity Ripples of Compassion, the butterflies are a way for families to remember their child and all the happy times they had together. They mean the world to the families we support.
Thank you to Ripples of Compassion.
They’re both fluttering away
Rose’s grandson, Ben, and Riffat’s daughter, Zoha, were both cared for by Noah’s Ark before they died in 2014 and 2020 respectively. The two children were friends and, through this bond, Rose and Riffat became close too.
In 2020 Riffat added a butterfly to our Butterfly Woodland Walk in her daughter’s memory. She placed it next to Ben’s.
Rose said: “Ben and Zoha’s butterflies are together, which is so lovely because they grew up and were in the same class together. So much has happened in both families over the years, but it’s so comforting to know they’re both fluttering away in the Butterfly Woodland Walk together.”
Riffat added: “When I put Zoha’s butterfly in the ground, two butterflies came from somewhere and they just fluttered up and away. It was such a surreal and beautiful moment. Because of Covid, my family couldn’t come to Zoha’s funeral, so this was our proper goodbye. It was very precious.”
Like Rose, Riffat finds it comforting to think of Ben and Zoha being side by side in the Butterfly Woodland Walk.
“[People often say] ‘friends forever’ but Zoha and Ben have proved that they are friends forever because their butterflies are together.”
When Rose and Riffat met for the first time after Zoha’s death the bond between them was stronger than it had ever been. Riffat said: “I saw Rose and I don’t know how long we hugged for. A wonderful moment.”
You can find out more about our Bereavement Support services here.