Published on: Friday 21 Jun 2024 at 09:33
St Clare Hospice is inviting people to celebrate the life of someone special this summer by dedicating a limited edition Forever Flower in their memory.
The bespoke, handcrafted forget-me-nots have been specially created for the Hospice charity and, for a suggested donation of £28 per flower, supporters can dedicate one to their loved one.
St Clare’s individual giving manager Leonie Smalling said: “This summer, make a promise to always remember by dedicating one of our beautiful Forever Flowers in memory of someone you love and miss.
“Symbolising true love and devotion, these custom-made ironwork forget-me-nots are a beautiful keepsake for you to treasure as a lasting tribute and special reminder of the happy times you shared.
“Display them in your home, your garden, by your loved ones grave or anywhere that is meaningful to you. Or you may chose to leave your forget-me-not in our dedicated Forever Flowers garden within the Hospice grounds.”
Once you have made your dedication, you can choose to have your forget-me-not delivered or to collect it in person when St Clare hosts its Forever Flowers remembrance picnic at the Hospice on Sunday 22nd June.
Leonie said: “Our family-friendly event is a chance to gather with others who have been bereaved as St Clare invites you to join us with your family and friends to celebrate and share stories in the sunshine with others who understand what you are going through.”
On the day, there will be music, children’s arts and crafts, stalls, refreshments and more.
Every dedication made through Forever Flowers this summer will help ensure that St Clare’s dedicated, specialist team can continue caring for people who are approaching the end of their life, as well as provide comfort and support to their relatives and friends.
Mandy’s story
When Mandy’s cancer returned, she was given just three months to live and spent her last weeks being cared for at our Inpatient Unit.
During her stay on the Inpatient Unit, Mandy was able to spend quality time with her loved ones while the St Clare team focused on keeping her comfortable. As they cared for her, the Inpatient Unit team took the time to learn about Mandy, and what was meaningful to her.
‘The staff at St Clare went out of the way to make her feel like Mandy again. They arranged for someone to visit the hospice to paint her nails just the way she liked it. It was such a simple thing yet incredibly thoughtful,’ Toni, Mandy’s sister, shared.
The team also knew how significant it was for Mandy to be surrounded by her loved ones during her final moments and after her death.
‘The night Mandy died, the nurses made sure we could all be together one last time. Afterwards, we left the room for a moment, and when we went back in, what the staff had done was beautiful. One of the nurses had been outside to pick some flowers to place around Mandy’s pillow and in her hand.’ Toni recalled.
Toni added: ‘It’s coming up to a year since we lost Mandy, and we miss her greatly. But we’re there for each other, and St Clare Hospice is still there for us too.’
You can dedicate a Forever Flower in celebration of the life of someone you love by clicking here, where you will also find full details about the Forever Flowers remembrance picnic on Sunday 22nd June. Anyone is invited to make a dedication and come along to the remembrance event, whether you or your loved ones have a connection to St Clare Hospice or not.