A wood where bereaved parents can plant trees in their children's memory was formally opened today.
The Sleeping Angels Wood has been created at Colden Forest, West Baldwin.
Tori Smithies' – whose son, Charles, was stillborn in 1996 and who miscarried twins 12 years later – is behind the project.
She said many parents didn't even have a grave at which to remember.
The wood would be a place where parents who had suffered a miscarriage, a still birth or lost a baby could plant a tree in their memory.
Tori had the idea for the project when she helped out with the Isle of Man Woodland Trust and spoke to a family about the comfort they gained visiting a tree planted in memory of a loved-one.
She set up the Sleeping Angels Wood group, which has undertaken substantial fund-raising to pay for trees and commemorative plaques.
She said:
'Sleeping Angels Wood is a place that recognises every tiny soul that didn't make it for whatever reason and somewhere families can go, knowing everyone they see is living with the same pain.
'It's somewhere to take older or younger brothers and sisters so that they can see their sibling's sapling change and grow over the seasons, just as they would have done, and somewhere for people to meet and talk about their little ones.
'Hopefully it will help break the taboo that is child loss and mean that parents don't have to hide their grief behind closed doors.'
Tori is now a director of the Isle of Man Woodland Trust, which has supported the project and contributed to the preparation and planting, in conjunction with landowner the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture ('DEFA').
Today David Cretney MLC, Member of DEFA with responsibility for Forestry, Amenity and Lands, jointly opened the woodland with Tori. He said he was delighted to be able to assist in the development of such a wonderful opportunity for families to remember, reflect and relax in such a beautiful setting.
'The woodland is a beautiful, peaceful place for parents to remember their children,'
he said.
'Tori and her fellow volunteers have been the driving force behind this and have converted their tragedies into something positive to assist other bereaved parents.
'I am pleased DEFA has been able to earmark land for this poignant purpose.'
It's planned to add benches and footpaths to the area at a later date.