Graves Park Sheffield: Family's fury as plaque to beloved mother is removed from memorial bench without notice

By Robert Cumber
Published 25th Sep 2022, 00:01 BST
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A grieving daughter is furious after a plaque dedicated to her late mother was removed without notice from a memorial bench in Sheffield.

Christine Hill’s family had paid for the bench to be installed by Sheffield Council at Graves Park, in Woodseats, after she sadly died of cancer, aged just 58, on September 1, 2018.

Each year, they have marked the anniversary of her death by decorating the bench with flowers, fairy lights and model butterflies, and this year they attached a small plastic plaque bearing a photo of Christine and dedicated to the ‘much-loved Mum and Nannan’.

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Chloe Hill with her late mother Christine Hill, who she said was the 'most wonderful' mumChloe Hill with her late mother Christine Hill, who she said was the 'most wonderful' mum
Chloe Hill with her late mother Christine Hill, who she said was the 'most wonderful' mum

Christine’s daughter Chloe Hill, who described her mum as the ‘most wonderful’ mother and ‘my best friend’, was shocked to discover just days later that it had been removed.

When she contacted the council, she was told it had been taken down because decorations were not permitted on benches in public parks.

But Chloe pointed out that when her family paid for the bench they had not been notified of any such conditions and they felt the least the council could have done was to contact them first.

She said: “I’m absolutely furious this was done without anyone even contacting us. The plaque wasn’t harming anyone or affecting their use of the bench. It was just our little way of expressing how much we love my mum.

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The plaque dedicated to Christine Hill which was removed by Sheffield Council from her memorial bench in Graves Park, Woodseats, without Christine's family being notifiedThe plaque dedicated to Christine Hill which was removed by Sheffield Council from her memorial bench in Graves Park, Woodseats, without Christine's family being notified
The plaque dedicated to Christine Hill which was removed by Sheffield Council from her memorial bench in Graves Park, Woodseats, without Christine's family being notified

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“I was devastated to find it had been removed, and the reasons they’ve given just seem ridiculous.

“We’d always assumed the decorations we’d placed on the bench previously had been removed by our uncle once they started to look a bit old and shabby but we now realise they were probably taken down by the council too without our knowledge.”

When Chloe contacted the council, she was told that photos and other decorations could not be added to memorial benches in parks but the employee who responded was ‘really sorry’ Chloe had not been informed before the plaque was removed.

Sheffield Council told Christine Hill's family that the plaque had been removed from the memorial bench in Graves Park, Woodseats, because decorations were not permittedSheffield Council told Christine Hill's family that the plaque had been removed from the memorial bench in Graves Park, Woodseats, because decorations were not permitted
Sheffield Council told Christine Hill's family that the plaque had been removed from the memorial bench in Graves Park, Woodseats, because decorations were not permitted

The council worker also offered to return the plaque by post and said that Chloe’s details would be added to the council’s log so she and the rest of the family could be notified ahead of any future changes to the bench.

The Star has contacted Sheffield Council.

Related topics:Sheffield CouncilSheffieldGraves Park