A couple living in Northern Ireland have spoken about launching a new business to channel the grief of baby loss.
Sarah Lucas and Hugh Devlin's son, baby Hugh Thomas, was born sleeping at just 17 weeks on March 16, 2022.
In the months that followed, the couple struggled to cope with the loss of their son, with Hugh losing his job as a result of suffering with his mental health.
Read more: NI mum hits out at hospital for 'appalling' treatment after stillbirth of son
But now the pair are focusing their energy into new business, Alchemy and Ashes, which they describe as a "unique boutique for the strange and unusual", with items for sale including gothic homewear, crystals, and designs from artists and makers throughout Northern Ireland.
Speaking to Belfast Live about their business, Sarah Lucas said it has allowed them to find some direction, meet new people, and provide a future for their children.
"We lost our little boy in March, at 17 weeks he had no heartbeat, then we had his funeral. That knocked us for six completely," she explained.
"We have been trying to deal with that, no parent knows how to deal with it, it's not something you ever think you're going to have to deal with. It was trying to do something with that grief.
"I had a family holiday booked to Cornwall in April, but felt like I didn't want to go. I went there with the kids for a bit of a re-charge, and thought I loved being there, it's where I grew up as a kid.
"There's a lot of wee witchy shops and I thought I'd love something like that back in Northern Ireland, but there wasn't anything like it. Hugh and I got talking, I explained where I was coming from and what things we wanted to put in a shop, and he was really onboard with it and really supportive.
"But it's not been without challenges. Hugh lost his job in August due to his mental health. He's really struggled since we lost the baby, it's just knocked him. We've had to throw absolutely everything into this business."
The pair have been operating from markets throughout Northern Ireland for the past nine months, but on January 28 will open a permanent shop at Blackstaff Mill in Belfast.
They're hoping to provide opportunities for others, and are doing it all in their son's memory, with the business giving them an outlet to focus their energy on.
Sarah said: "We've been building the business up and letting it reflect who we are as people. Just being our authentic selves and selling products we would've loved to get over here.
"We wanted to do it all in our son's memory. Everything we're doing is for him, and to build a future for his brother and his sisters. It's something everyone can get involved in. My girls love the crystals, one of them brought a bunch of crystals into her show and tell at school and was telling everyone about them.
"It's helped us to deal with the grief by focusing our energy into something and to keep going. Our kids are our reason, but it felt like we were not existing but just floating about, feeling a bit lost.
"It's given us that bit of direction, and it's given us an opportunity to meet new people we wouldn't have met otherwise. It's enabled Hugh as well, it keeps him going and helps with his mental health.
"It's nice to see his face light up again when he talks about the shop. He's good at the retail side of things and I'm into the admin, so we complement each other well with that. I made a wee wooden sign that says 'for Hugh Thomas' that we always put on our market stall."
At the core of the couple's business is the belief in the magic of the everyday, which is a message they hope to spread far and wide.
"We're trying to spread magic around. We try to give a wee bit to kids when they come in, even if it's just a crystal, then they remember that kindness," Sarah added.
"That's how we decided on our name. Alchemy is the magic in the everyday, the smile you get on your children's faces, and hearing them laugh.
"We have our son's ashes on a shelf near our window, and just outside I have a plant pot I've had for ages. I can't remember what was in it but it's been long since dead.
"Then all of a sudden, these little snowdrops started growing from it. That was the poem I read out at his funeral, it was about a snowdrop. It's like he's always with us - that's the magic in the everyday.
"We chose 'ashes' for the second part of our name as it's what we're going to rise from. We felt like we had nothing after we lost our son, it just knocked us, it was traumatic. But now it's just about taking each day as it comes."
To find out more about Alchemy and Ashes, you can click here.
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