Mum amazed at readers’ response
Wednesday 13th May 2009, 2:29PM BST.
Dorcas Woodland on the seat she had erected in memory of her son, Daniel Pleisch. (Picture by Adrian Miller)
A MOTHER who fought to erect a memorial bench for her son has been overwhelmed by the response from the public.
Dorcas Woodland’s son, Daniel Pleisch, a self-employed gardener, was 24 when he died following a motorcycle accident on 12 October 2005.
She spent two years trying to gain permission from Environment for a granite seat to be built in his memory at Bordeaux. She was eventually able to put a basic granite bench, with his name and dates only, on the site which held special memories for the family.
She then received a letter from the department, on what would have been her son’s 28th birthday this year, instructing her to remove a single red rose she had placed there and some shells left by his two young children.
Mrs Woodland said she was amazed by the numbers of letters and phone calls she received following her story appearing in the Guernsey Press.
The grieving mum said she felt like she had the support of the whole island. ‘Having all these people write and phone has been very touching.’
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it disgusts me to think that the enviroment department can be so undermining and thoughtless.
it is clear that this family only want to celebrate the life of their loved one who was taken from them in such a traggic way. i personally feel that they are not causing anyone any worries and should be aloud to place flowers on their loved ones bench to mark the occasions that are significant to them.
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I say to that mother -
Don’t be surprised, at the thoughts of the people; they know only to well the loss of a loved one.
The utter distasteful event about the Rose is a slur on the good Name of Guernsey.
We’ll see what happens when they may be so
sorrowed.
I will bring back an old fashioned word
FIE on those in authority
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This sounds like the Environment Dept have made a target out of this issue and have made it personal. Anybody could leave flowers, shells, letters on a bench at a time of memorial and they stay there for weeks. Will the States be sending letters to every resident or tourist that leaves a t-shirt, towel, or chocolate wrapper on a bench during the coming months?
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Although I feel it does seem harsh to penalise her, the fact remains that these benches are there for THE PUBLIC, not as some shrine or grave stone.
It is however nice to see that members of the public will ‘rally round’ in support of her.
Eric – I think it “a slur on the good Name of Guernsey” is a little over the top!
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Not at all Dean:
the way the world is today any little thing will cause a riot.
Today Obama has said no showing of photos of bestial treatment in Iraq; and why?
People will get the wrong idea about the military.
Therefore I say a slur on Guernsey because of a single rose; and Rose being the emblem of Love.
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Dean and who paid for the bench not THE PUBLIC or the States Mrs Woodland did in memory of her son
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I feel so sorry for this lady who lost her only son last year and to have the Environment Department treat her this way is absolutely unforgivable.
I am going to take the article to my mother’s local newspaper and see what their reaction is? I can guarantee you that they will think is is utterly deplorable and beaurcratic at its worst.
I for one would like to see the person who made the decision to remove the flower and pebbles etc be named and shamed. That is the least they deserve. I hope whoevever they might be are hiding away and worried that they might be found out and also that they do not suffer the same grief in their own lifetime.
Don’t forget taxpayers we pay these people in this department to make these kind of decisions. Think about that.
Ashamed of the Enviromment Department.
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when this story was last published, it was mentioned that the ED would respond with details of the terms under which the bench was paid for – indicating that one term is that it is not to be treated as a private memorial.
However, the Press does not appear to have followed up on that. Could we have the ED’s side of things please?
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John – you are right, she did pay for the bench, but this does not give her exclusive rights over it. She was allowed to erect it in a public place with certain conditions. These benches are there for everyone, not just those connected with the deceased. this is a condition of being allowed to put it there.
And remember, the States were following up one, or several complaints from members of the public.
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for those that missed it first time, here is the earlier article:
http://www.thisisguernsey.com/2009/04/17/mother-made-to-move-red-rose-tribute-to-dead-son/
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i totally agree with john it is ‘a slur on the good name of guernsey’
i feel i must ask this question, has every family who have benches for there loved ones been told by the enviroment department to remove items that have been placed on or near them?
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sorry Eric not John
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The way Mrs Woodland seems to have been treated is obviously not good. However, whilst I have every sympathy and understanding for her situation, we must realise that there is a place to remember loved ones and that is in our hearts. Church yards are where memorials belong not dotted round the island. If everyone who lost someone erected a memorial the whole island could become covered in memorials so it is understandable why the Environment Department are being discouraging. Why not plant a flowering tree or a fruit tree in your garden in memory of someone. It is symbolic anyway as you are unlikely to forget them.
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Whilst this is a sad tale to loose a child the bench is there for all to use. It is not a shrine for displaying public loss on. You can remember people with out outward displays and as such on a bench that is public property then the remembering should be inward and personal.
Would you go to a cemetary and sit on a tomb stone or grave? No you would not, so these benches must not be made to feel like that, otherwise each time someone sat on one they might feel like they were personally intruding or not actually use the bench.
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Alright then;
So it isn’t any longer her seat; of which she is quite well aware.
Yet when one stops; Just for a moment in this busy and ofttimes distressing ways of how people have become–
Then think: If it were me;
I accept the fact that it was not wrong, but without thought of the consequences. (by the pedantic element in our society>)
Yet to many a trivial happening; to the Lady in question; a Human touch; sadly lacking in those who see fit to complain
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Eric – I see where you are coming from and there is certainly room for compassion rather than a reigid adherence to rule or principle, but my reading of the original article was that in this instance the reaction of the ED was prompted by a persistent pattern of behaviour. I am sure that if a flower was left once a year no-one would have complained or noticed, but it does seem as if items have been repeatedly left on this bench, which is presumably what prompted the public to alert the ED in the first place, and then prompted them to write to her rather than just clear away the items.
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I just do not understand the mentality of those who complain.
An act of love and memories, is, in my opinion, belittled;
If a flower is such a disturbing factor to some-one, then the world is indeed in a sorry state.
If some one wished to sit where a flower is placed it must be a simple method to just move it a bit or put it under, or beside the bench,
it seems to me that by no means has it caused a breasch of security, or a terrorist action
For Goodness sake; How many can honestly say it caused havoc.
I admire and think the lady showed her love and thoughts for a person dear to her; Losing her son was a terrable affair, Please let it RIP.
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