Every Memory Box that we donate has a feedback card inside as receiving feedback and improving our services, where we can, is especially important to us. On the feedback cards from those who received our smallest Memory Box there are often comments that a candle would be a lovely addition. We listened to the feedback and we are pleased to share with you that a new SiMBA scented tealight, will now be included in every size of Memory Box that we donate.
We have always recognised the comfort our tealights bring when people receive one in their Memory Box. We also recognise that a scent can evoke powerful memories. By including a tealight in our smallest Memory Boxes it means that everyone who receives a SiMBA Memory Box has the same scent experience; it also means that those who receive a small Memory Box, through the tealight, are made aware of Baby Loss Awareness Week (which runs annually from the 9th - 15th October) and can, if they choose, light their tealight as part of this event.
Our sense of smell creates memories, often more powerful than any of our other senses. To further enhance this connection, at the latter end of 2020, we started to work closely with Jayne Duncan of Olive Tree Lifestyle to create our own bespoke SiMBA candle scent. The SiMBA scent is a special blend of six essential oils, mixed into hand poured soy wax, which has been specially created for SiMBA to be included in all our Memory Boxes. It is unique and beautiful to smell. It was important to us that when we created the scent that it was only identifiable to the Memory Box, to give comfort when someone wanted to light their tealight.
We needed a name for our tealight and with the restrictions in place we were unable to ask a wider group to help to create the initial scent of our tealight; however, it was important to involve our SiMBA supporters in some way. We involved bereaved families by creating a poll on our closed Facebook page and invited our supporters to help us to choose a name for our scent. Initially we had five choices; Memory, Eternal, Forever, Hug, Tranquil, then we asked everyone to vote again on the top two choices Memory and Eternal. We also looked at the meanings of each word (Cambridge dictionary):
Memory - the ability to remember information, experiences, and people. (20 votes)
Eternal - Lasting forever or for a very long time. (126 votes)
After receiving the most votes, our new tealight was named ‘Eternal.’
Our Eternal tealight will now be included in every Memory Box that we gift helping to further create timeless and precious memories.
You can purchase replacement bespoke Eternal tealights and purchase candles from a collection made with the Eternal scent directly from Olive Tree Lifestyle and Jayne will kindly make a 20% donation back to SiMBA from the sale of each tealight and candle.
You can purchase our SiMBA tealight holders through the shop on the SiMBA website https://www.simbacharity.org.uk/shop/