For families who have lost a baby, moments of connection and remembrance mean everything. In 2026 Olive & Kin will run two sets of creative workshops for bereaved parents in collaboration with Red Nose. Red Nose is helping with the organisation and arranging venues but their community engagement budget is very small so they are unable to contribute financially.

One set of workshops will guide families to hand build and glaze a candle vessel. The other will guide them to make a mug. Each project runs over three sessions. The first two sessions focus on shaping and painting/decorating. The final session is about connection, ritual and meaning.

For the candle workshops we will gather together and light our candles as part of the global Wave of Light. A local social enterprise has generously offered to pour and refill 12 candles at no cost to families.

For the mug workshops the final session will be led by a breathwork and mindfulness facilitator. Parents will drink tea or cacao from the vessels they created for their babies and will have space to breathe, share some light refreshments and be held by community that understands.

We already have a small amount of partial funding from a Northern Beaches Council grant but we need some extra support so that we do not have to rely on donations that would usually go toward our free ceramic urns. These workshops offer connection, healing, a sense of belonging and a creative outlet! We expect to support 24 families and we know there is strong demand as our recent Christmas workshops filled quickly and many parents told us how meaningful the experience was.