Today, a bench was unveiled in Boreham Wood in memory of Roma on what would have been her 22nd Birthday. A place where someone can sit when the world feels too heavy. A place where a conversation can begin. A place where someone can find a listening ear. A place where Roma’s name will continue to live on and, hopefully, where her memory will help save lives.
We were honoured to be joined by Roma’s family and friends, alongside the Mayor of Hertsmere, Cllr Parveen Rani.
The bench has been made possible through the support of Roma’s family and friends, kind donations from members of the local community, and the help of John and Amanda Byrne from 4-4-2 Together CIC.
The bench has now been placed in Meadow Park as a lasting tribute to Roma a place where people can sit, reflect, remember her and celebrate the life she lived. As always with a Legend on the Bench reveal, there were many emotions in the air. It was emotional, it was beautiful, and above all, it was filled with love. Love for Roma, love for her family, and love from a community that had come together to make sure her memory would never be forgotten.💙
The speeches were incredibly moving, with Roma’s mum Carmen speaking so openly and honestly from the heart. To stand before everyone and speak about your daughter takes a strength and courage that is difficult to put into words. There are no words that can truly describe what a mum carries in her heart when she loses her child, but her bravery in sharing Roma with us was something very special.💙💙
Hertsmere Mayor Parvine Rani, also spoke so passionately about why these benches matter and why the message behind them is so important. We have to keep talking. We have to keep listening. And we have to keep doing everything we can to remove the stigma that still surrounds mental health. Amazing speech💙
Thank you, Roma’s mum, Carmen. Your courage, your strength and the love you have for your beautiful daughter shone through every word. I hope you know that by sharing Roma’s story, you are helping others too. Her name, her life and her memory will now be part of something that may one day help another person find the strength to stay.🙏
Thank you Cllr Parveen Rina for your beautiful words and your kindness, also for giving up your time to attend the unveiling and support the cause. Thank you.
A huge thank you to John Byrne, his wife Amanda and the whole team who have worked tirelessly to help raise the funds and make this bench happen. What you have done has created something that will continue to make a difference long after this day has passed. Your kindness, dedication and determination have helped turn love into something permanent. Legend on the Bench appreciate and recognise how much time effort and commitment you put into this bench, and we are forever grateful. You are all heroes and you are helping save lives, thank you. 🙏
A huge thank you also goes to Elstree and Borehamwood Town Council and Hertsmere Borough Council for acting so quickly and making the process of securing the site for the bench so effortless. Their support allowed us to fundraise and have the bench installed much sooner than we could have hoped.
Thank you also to every single person who played their part, whether your contribution was big or small. Every person involved mattered. Every act of kindness mattered. Every pound raised, every conversation, every bit of organisation and every person who simply turned up to stand alongside Roma’s family helped make this day what it was.💙
And to everyone who came along to the reveal, thank you. Your presence made an already incredibly special day even more meaningful. Sometimes just being there is one of the greatest things we can do for someone.💙
A life remembered.
A family supported.
A community united.
A message of hope carried forward.
Because where there is hope, there is a way. 💙🙏