A stunning sea of forget-me-nots has created the first St Richard’s Hospice Celebration Garden in Worcester.
Already more than 700 of the 1000 handmade forget-me-nots have been snapped up by supporters helping to create the garden around the base of St Andrew’s Spire in the city.
People are being encouraged to secure their own flower and celebrate someone or something special with one of the beautiful forget-me-not clusters in the display, which they can later take home as a keepsake or a gift.
The flowers were installed by volunteers on Saturday, 13th August and will be on display until 29th August as one of the visual highlights of the Worcester Festival.
Contributions to help create this one off installation will help fund St Richard’s care of patients and families in Worcestershire.
Fundraising Director Tricia Cavell said, “The flowers look stunning and we’ve had so many people tell us how much they enjoy seeing them here in the heart of Worcester. The garden is also a wonderful place to stop and reflect, celebrate or remember someone special. “
She added, “Lots of people have asked us about the risk attached to the flowers being in a public space but we hope that people will reflect that the majority of the flowers are in memory of people. We are trusting our community to respect the Celebration Garden.”
Sharon Randell commented on Facebook, “It’s so lovely and very special for us as a family as it would have been my husband’s 61st birthday today and he passed away so peacefully in St Richard’s last October. We were able to sponsor some forget me nots in Ivor’s name to commemorate his birthday today.”
Janet Davies added, “Thanks to St Richard’s for a lovely way to raise money for the hospice. You have given so much help and support in a time when we needed it and for the care you gave my husband and our family and sitting with us in the night during his last week. He had wanted to be at home with his family and you made that possible. Keep up the good work.”
St Richard’s is hoping that sponsorship of the flowers will raise around £40,000 for hospice care in Worcestershire.
Donors will be invited to pick a flower from the garden on Bank Holiday Monday, 29th August, collect from the hospice or via post after the installation is dismantled.
To secure a forget-me-not please visit www.strichards.org.uk/celebration-garden or call the Fundraising Department on 01905 763963.
The Celebration Garden is kindly sponsored by Open GI.
St Richard’s Hospice provides free specialist palliative care for patients living with life-limiting illnesses and supports their families. Each year the hospice team supports over 2,600 patients and family members in Worcestershire with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
Patients are cared for in Day Hospice, the 17-bed In-patient Unit or in their own homes by a specialist professional team as well as many trained volunteers.
St Richard’s is an independent charity and is grateful for all donations to help it to continue its work.