“We are incredibly proud to have worked alongside the Heaven Branch to bring this vision to life”

Black Cats fans who‘ve lost family members now have a new and expanded space to remember their loved ones after the completion and opening of a memorial garden at the Stadium of Light.

Joanne Youngson (far right) and members of the SAFC Heaven Branch at the new memorial garden. | Iconic

placeholder image — Joanne Youngson (far right) and members of the SAFC Heaven Branch at the new memorial garden. | Iconic

The garden, which was joint venture between Sunderland AFC and the SAFC Heaven Branch, was completed in August ahead of the first home game of the season.

The garden now includes a grassed lawn and a walled garden, with space for fans to lay flowers, photographs, and remembrance pebbles, as well as scatter the ashes of loved ones.

Youngsters who’ve lost loved ones can also carryout a bug hunt to locate ladybird badges created in memory of family members.

The garden also includes a bench in honour of Sunderland AFC superfan and former supporters association chair of 55 years, George Forster, who passed away earlier this year at the age of 99.

The bench in memory of Sunderland AFC super fan George Forster. | Iconic

The bench, which includes a photograph of George and beneath which his ashes have been scattered, provides a place for supporters to sit, reflect, and remember their loved ones.

The finished memorial garden, which is located outside the entrance to the Stadium of Light, is the culmination of two years of work.

Flowers, remembrance pebbles, photographs, and people's ashes have been placed in the memorial garden. | Iconic

Heaven Branch co-founder Joanne Youngson said: “The walled garden has been constructed with turf from the Stadium of Light pitch where SAFC fans’ ashes have previously been scattered.

“With the new pitches, you aren’t able to scatter people’s ashes inside the stadium, and so this provides a place for people to do so which allows their loved ones to be close to the club they loved.

“We also lay pebbles created in memory of family members, which are painted in red and white, may have personal messages, and the Sunderland AFC badge.

“It allows both the deceased person and their family to be close to the club and provides a place for families to come and reflect. It gives a sense of comfort for the person who has passed away and their family.”

The new memorial garden at the Stadium of Light. | Iconic

A number of branch members visiting the memorial garden have remembrance pebbles and/or the ashes of their loved ones scattered within the garden.

One of those is Carol Harrison who has lost her husband Tom and son Ronnie.

She said: “They were both massive Sunderland fans and it would mean everything to them to know they’ve a resting place so close to the stadium. It’s somewhere I can come and sit, reflect and remember them.”

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Fellow Black Cats fan Alan Kirby lost his partner Moira Kirby in March 2025.

He said: “Moira was a big SAFC fan. The day before she died, she told me to go to the game - it’s as if she knew. I can visit the memorial garden before each game to remember her and have a chat.”

Heaven Branch treasurer John Hellens lost his wife Vivian in 2021.

Heaven Branch treasurer, John Hellens, and the pebble in memory of his wife Vivian, who passed away in 2021. | Iconic

He added: “I’ve a pebble in the garden to remember Vivian and it’s a tranquil place I can come to reflect. It’s just a lovely place, and the extension just gives us that extra space.”

The Heaven Branch has been supported by local businessman David Newham who said: “The memorial garden is a shrine to those SAFC supporters who’ve passed away. A number of Fulham fans were in the garden before the first home game of the season and they were saying how all football stadiums should have something like this.

“I lost a really good friend. I called the Heaven Branch and the support his family received was amazing, even providing flag bearers and a guard of honour at the funeral.”

Sunderland AFC has also played a key role in helping the branch to create the memorial garden.

Paul Kingsmore, Sunderland AFC’s chief operating officer, said: “The work carried out by the Heaven Branch Supporters Group is truly remarkable, and the opening of this memorial garden is a fitting reflection of the care, compassion and commitment they ‘ve shown to Sunderland supporters and their families.

“This is much more than a garden. It’s a special place where people can come together, remember loved ones and feel connected to the Club and the wider Sunderland family.

“We are incredibly proud to have worked alongside the Heaven Branch to bring this vision to life, and I would like to thank everyone involved for making it such a fitting and beautiful place of remembrance.”

You can find out more, and contact the Heaven Branch via their website.