Gerbera dedications will be on display throughout May to help people honour and remember those they’ve lost.
Local people are invited to come together to honour the lives of loved ones at the opening ceremony of St Giles Hospice’s ‘Celebrate Lives Lived’.
Taking place at 10am on Sunday 3 May in the beautiful surroundings of their Whittington hospice, the ceremony will mark the official opening of the new commemorative gardens.
Throughout May, orange Gerbera dedications will be on display at the Whittington and Sutton gardens. For years, St Giles has embraced this beautiful flower to help people honour and remember those they’ve lost.
The opening ceremony will include a welcome from the hospice team, gentle music, a short reflection and a shared moment to remember loved ones who are no longer here.
Celebrate Lives Lived is open to everyone, whether or not they have previously had a connection with St Giles Hospice. It offers a meaningful way to remember someone special, while also showing support for the hospice’s vital work.
This year, Lisa Thompson, a 35-year-old from Tamworth, will be taking part in Celebrate Lives Lived in memory of her mum, Julie. Lisa said:
My mum was amazing. She was a friend to everybody – she was an incredible mum, and my very best friend.
Walking through the doors of St Giles for the first time, I expected it to feel sad. But it didn’t. The atmosphere was gentle and reassuring, filled with people who understood exactly what we were going through.
I have taken part in Celebrate Lives Lived for the past two years. I used to worry that people might stop talking about her or forget her. But St Giles gives me the opportunity to remember those we love.
Gerbera dedications to feature in the hospice gardens have now closed. However, dedications can still be made in the virtual garden and revisited throughout the year on their website. For further information about the Celebrate Lives Lived opening ceremony, visit: www.stgileshospice.com/celebrateliveslived.