Mothers’ grief not forgotten

A SHORT Mothers’ Day service will be held at Alfredton’s Garden of the Grieving Mother, adjacent to the Arch of Victory.

To begin at 11am on Sunday 12 May, the event hosted by the Arch of Victory-Avenue of Honour Committee will remember special mums, grandmothers, and friends who have passed, or were bereaved following military conflicts.

“With Mother’s Day just a couple of weeks after Anzac Day, it is an ideal time to reflect on what mothers and families at home were experiencing while thousands of sons and daughters were on or near battlefields on the other side of the world,” said Arch of Victory-Avenue of Honour committee president, Garry Snowden.

“Ballarat has lost around 1000 men while they were serving our country in two world wars and other conflicts like Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan.

“So, on Mother’s Day, we will remember the hundreds of Ballarat mothers and families impacted by these losses.

“Since the unveiling of the statue in February 2017 I have been trying to establish our Mother’s Day service as something, if not uniquely Ballarat, something that is special in Ballarat’s event calendar.

“I’m not aware of any other community that has a service that focuses specifically on the impact of the war on the people at home, particularly the grief experienced by mothers and their families.”

Everyone is invited to attend the brief service which is a non-military event and will include speakers; Ballarat Cemeteries CEO, Annie DeJong, the committee’s Carol Holding, and City of Ballarat mayor, Cr Des Hudson.

Community members are welcome to lay a floral tribute at the base of the Grieving Mother statue to remember a special woman in their life.

“If you are unable to make it to the service, please try to leave a tribute to your special mother by calling at the statue at any time during the day,” Mr Snowden said.

“I hope to see the statue base covered by flowers by the end of the day.”

The Garden of the Grieving Mother features a sculpture by Peter Corlett which depicts a bereaved mother, and its surrounding green space was designed by Caitlyn Perry.

It was installed by the committee and unveiled by then Governor General Sir Peter Cosgrove.