About The Star Hendy Project
The Star Hendy Project was born in 2024 from a place of deep love and loss. After experiencing my second miscarriage, I longed for a way to honour my baby, Star Hendy, and to offer comfort to others walking the same heart-breaking path. My first loss in 2017 was met with silence—no acknowledgment, no support. While memory boxes are now offered, they often cater to later losses, leaving a painful gap for those grieving in the earlier stages of pregnancy.
That gap is why this project exists.
The Star Hendy Project invites beading communities and individuals from around the world to create and donate handmade star keepsakes—small, symbolic gestures of love that grieving families can hold close. Each star is a token of remembrance, a heartfelt acknowledgment of a life gone too soon. These keepsakes are gifted to families who have experienced pregnancy loss, offering them something tangible to honor their baby’s memory.
This initiative is more than a creative offering—it’s a movement rooted in compassion. It was born not only from the desire to remember my baby, but from a deep longing to feel connected to others who understand this kind of grief. The ache of losing a baby can feel isolating, and through this project, I hope to create a gentle community of remembrance and support—one where no one has to walk through it alone.
As the project grows, we aim to:
- Distribute handmade stars to Early Pregnancy Units and hospitals across the UK.
- Host exhibitions showcasing the beautiful work of our beading community.
- Raise awareness around pregnancy loss and the unique grief it brings.
- Build a compassionate network of makers, supporters, and families joined by empathy, understanding, and love.
Whether you choose to bead, donate, or simply share our message, your support helps create a more understanding and supportive world for those facing pregnancy loss.
Join the Star Hendy Project and help us light the way—one handmade star at a time.
Whether you're a beader, someone who’s experienced loss, or simply someone who wants to offer comfort—there’s a place for you in the Star Hendy Project. Every act of kindness helps us reach more grieving families with love, remembrance, and support.
Here's how to take part:
Bead & Donate
Download our free star beading pattern and create a handmade star at your own pace. Once finished, send it in to be included in a future exhibition and then gifted to a family experiencing pregnancy loss. Each star becomes a symbol of remembrance and a message that says, “You are not alone.”
Share Words of Comfort
If you've experienced loss, or want to offer support, you can write a message to be shared with grieving families. Your words may be read at events, included alongside a star, or posted as part of our growing archive of comfort. A few heartfelt sentences can mean everything.
Sponsor a Star
Not a beader? You can still take part by sponsoring a star. Your donation helps cover materials, postage, and expansion of the project—ensuring we can reach even more families who need comfort.
You can Sponsor a Star or make a donation.
Join the Community
Make sure you’re signed up to our email list for updates on exhibitions, events, and star stories. You’re also warmly invited to join our private Facebook group, where we share progress, photos, and the love behind each creation.
Fill out the form below
Share Words of Comfort
Alongside each handmade star, I hope to offer grieving families something equally meaningful—words of comfort from those who understand or wish to support.
Whether it’s your personal story, a brief experience, a poem, a Bible verse, a quote, or simply a heartfelt message of condolence—your words can bring immense solace to someone walking the lonely path of pregnancy loss.
You can share your message in a few ways ways:
Include a handwritten note with your donated star
Fill the form out, below.
Email me: holly@thebeadingcircle.com
These messages may be included alongside donated stars, displayed at exhibitions, or shared in a special booklet I’m creating—a collection of comfort to let grieving parents know they are not alone. Your words will serve as a gentle reminder that their loss is seen, their baby is remembered, and they are held in the thoughts of others who understand.
If you'd prefer to remain anonymous, please let me know—otherwise, I’ll include your first name when sharing your message.
Thank you for helping surround this project with such deep care and compassion.
Gallery of stars
Gallery of stars so far...
The Future of Star Hendy Project
The Star Hendy Project began with one handmade star and a longing to honour grief with love—but it’s just the beginning.
Community building
I hope to build a warm, creative community of people who understand the healing power of making and giving. Whether you've experienced loss or simply want to offer compassion through your hands, there's space here for you.
Yearly exhibitions
Each year, we’ll launch a new beading pattern and invite people to take part in our annual star-making project. The handmade stars will be exhibited in person and shared online, before being donated to families who need them most.
Beading classes
In time, I’ll also begin offering mindful beading classes and retreats—gentle, nurturing spaces where creativity becomes a way to slow down, reflect, and connect.
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