St Columba’s: saying it with flowers

Ceramic Forget-Me-Nots to remember family members

St Columba’s Hospice has launched a new way for people to raise money in memory of loved ones who have died at the Hospice. The Hospice now offers Tribute Funds, where people can raise money in memory of a loved one and see all of their fundraising activities in one place.

To accompany the Tribute Funds, the Hospice has installed 800 ceramic forget-me-not flowers in to its courtyard garden where patients, families, staff, volunteers and visitors can view and admire the garden. The Tribute Garden is a poignant and powerful display that will remain in place for many years to come.

The ceramic flowers have been specially handcrafted by Johnson’s Tiles, who also produced the Tower of London poppy display. Each flower has been handmade, and carefully glazed with three layers of paint to ensure the flowers can brave Edinburgh’s weather.

Each Tribute Fund set up by a family will be represented by a ceramic flower in the Tribute Garden, and when the first donation is made to the Tribute Fund, a delicate copper leaf will be added to the flower with an engraved message.

St Columba’s Hospice is Edinburgh’s only independent hospice and provides free specialist palliative care to patients and support for families and friends. It also has a dedicated Centre for Education & Research, through which it provides training and education to health and social care practitioners from around the world.

Jackie Husband, the chief executive of the Hospice, said: “Tribute Funds are a special and personal way for people to support the work of the Hospice and raise money in memory of a loved one. By setting up a Tribute Fund, our supporters can ensure the high standards of care their loved one received will be available for other families and generations to come.

“People can choose to set up an online Tribute Fund where they can post memories, light virtual candles and share their fundraising efforts with their family, friends and colleagues. We are delighted to launch Tribute Funds and hope many supporters will see the benefits of a Tribute Fund for themselves and the Hospice.”

An online Tribute Fund allows people to create an online page where they can post updates, pictures, memories, light virtual candles and more. Tribute Fund holders can see all of their fundraising activity in one place, and share their page with those close to them. Pages can also be set to ‘private mode’.

For more information and to set up a Tribute Fund go to www.stcolumbashospice.org.uk or call 0131 551 1381.

Pictures: Neil Hanna