By Luke Voogt
Highton 11-year-old Bella Lynch is bringing brightness to forgotten graves at Barrabool Hills Cemetery with paper flowers she crafted in school.
“I hope it helps give the cemetery, which can be a sad place, some life and colour,” she said.
“It will also help show that every person there’s remembered and special, even if their loved ones can’t get to their graves.
“On each flower, there will be a short note saying, ‘A bunch of flowers from my heart’.”
Bella devised her idea during a school project requiring students to learn a new skill for use in the community.
“I chose to learn how to make paper flowers … and put them on the graves that don’t have flowers,” she said.
“I chose this cemetery because my mum’s grandparents are buried there.”
Bella made about 60 paper flowers with school friend Sophia after learning origami from Youtube tutorials.
Bella and grandmother Pam Stribley visited Highton’s cemetery on Wednesday to place the first paper flower at the gravesite of Bella’s great-grandparents.
“When we came here we noticed we might need a few more than 60,” she said.
Bella’s tribute to Pam’s parent moved her, she said.
“Bella had a great relationship with my dad, who passed away when he was 95.
“We thought it was a wonderful idea. The flowers really look fantastic.”
