Seagrass Meadow
Organ Donation Sculpture at Torbay Hospital
Seagrass is one of the world’s oldest flowering plants, and Torbay is home to some of the largest seagrass beds in the UK, covering over 80 hectares. These underwater meadows are among the most valuable and biodiverse habitats on the planet - a single hectare can support 80,000 fish and 100 million small invertebrates. Seagrass also plays a vital role in tackling climate change, capturing up to 35 times more carbon than rainforests of the same area.
Closer to home, seagrass provides a nursery for rare and endangered species such as seahorses and stalked jellyfish, as well as for commercially important fish, helping to sustain Torbay’s local economy.
For these reasons, this extraordinary little plant became the inspiration for Torbay Hospital’s organ donation memorial artwork. Just as seagrass provides the ‘Gift of Life’ for countless sea creatures, organ donors provide a vital lifeline for their grateful recipients. This artwork is a celebration of Torbay’s generous donors, and a space to honour their families.
About the Artwork
The sculpture features 70 abstract, larger-than-life seagrass blades made from powder-coated aluminium in three colours, with the tallest reaching almost two metres high. Arranged in flowing, curved clusters, the seagrass forms a sense of movement, as though swaying underwater. Aluminium fish weave between the blades, while programmed LED lighting at the base creates a gentle wave effect.
The artwork sits within a courtyard inside the hospital’s main entrance and can be viewed through large surrounding windows. Vinyl bubbles on the glass extend the underwater atmosphere, and a plaque explains the piece alongside a dedicated space where donor names will be added over time.
Made Possible by Generosity
The majority of funding for the memorial was made possible through the incredible fundraising efforts of Lottie Bryon-Edmond and her family. Lottie was one of the youngest transplant recipients in the UK and has devoted her energy to championing awareness of organ donation and honouring the donors who make it possible.
The project was also supported by Stover School, Torbay Hospital League of Friends, and Torbay and South Devon NHS Charity – a collective effort that mirrors the spirit of generosity celebrated in the artwork itself.
The Unveiling
The Seagrass Artwork was officially unveiled on Friday 26th September 2025, during Organ Donation Week. We were honoured to be in attendance alongside local donor families, whose presence gave the day its true meaning.
Guests arrived to the sound of harp music by Matilda Tierney, before the hospital’s CEO opened the ceremony. Dr Nikki Freeman, Consultant in Anaesthesia & Intensive Care Medicine, spoke about the importance of donation and introduced the Specialist Nurse in Organ Donation, who led a moving “moment of honour” - a ritual usually shared before every donor operation.
Lottie Bryon-Edmond then read aloud a poem written especially for the occasion by Dr Freeman, before cutting the ribbon to officially open the memorial. The ceremony closed with words from the CEO, marking a heartfelt moment of remembrance, gratitude, and hope.
The Poem – By Dr Nikki Freeman
Do not say goodbye to me, I share your every day
We chose to help a stranger on that sad and fateful day.
Side by side, through grief and pain we chose to offer hope
A future life of dreams and joy, for someone we don’t know.
Like seagrass in the shallows, weaving ribbons through the tide,
Sustaining ecosystems, abundant life abides
Un-asssuming overlooked, it nurtures and provides
A gentle swaying meadow, giving life to oceans wide.
A metaphor, a legacy, for life that comes from grief
Renewal, hope and endless love that binds our core beliefs
A legacy of life sustained beyond our darkest time
A living breathing hope of joy, a future beyond mine.