loss – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

COVID-19 Day of Reflection to bring the nation together to remember the loss and sacrifices of pandemic

Six years on, communities across the country will come together to reflect on sacrifice and loss during the pandemic

Events, activities, and services are being held across the UK to commemorate the COVID-19 Day of Reflection
Ceremonies, concerts and walks are amongst events organised by communities across the UK to mark the sixth annual COVID-19 Day of Reflection.

On Sunday 8 March, the nation will reflect and come together to remember those that lost their lives and to honour the tireless work and acts of kindness shown by many during the pandemic.

The COVID-19 Day of Reflection offers a chance to pay tribute to the work of health and social care staff, frontline workers, researchers and all those who volunteered a helping hand during the pandemic. The events also recognise that many are still feeling the impacts of the pandemic, for instance those with Long Covid or those who are immunocompromised.

Events, gatherings and commemorations are taking place across the country, including:

A day of quiet reflection at the National Covid Memorial Wall in London. The Friends of the Wall are hosting a short ceremony, which will include the placing of a wreath and the observation of minute’s silence at midday.
Royal Voluntary Service is arranging Time to Reflect tables within its services, where anyone is welcome to drop by for shared moments of reflection and to write personal messages or thanks to volunteers.
Caerphilly County Borough Council will host a COVID‑19 Day of Reflection event at the Ynys Hywel Covid Memorial Woodland, with an informal guided walk, a minute’s silence, and tea and coffee afterwards at Ynys Hywel Farm.
Memory Stones of Love are hosting a remembrance event at Belfast City Hall. The event will feature live music, poetry, as well as reflective speeches.
The Care Workers’ Charity has created and maintained an online Thank You Wall, giving people the opportunity to write a tribute or thank you to anyone working across social care including those in frontline care roles, managerial roles, administrative roles, maintenance roles, and more.
The Covid 19 Families Scotland gathered at the Sails Sculpture in Glasgow Green at 11.30 for a minute’s silence at midday yesterday (Saturday 7 March).
The Caribbean & African Health Network (CAHN) is hosting a community-led event at the Manchester Monastery. It brings together Black community and faith leaders, healthcare professionals, Black-led organisations and local people through a memorial service, wellbeing and creative activities, storytelling, and reflection.

Culture Minister Baroness Twycross said: “Whenever I walk along the National Covid Memorial Wall, I’m struck by the 250,000 hand-painted hearts that stretch for half a kilometer. It is a powerful tribute to loved ones who will not be forgotten.

“The pandemic impacted everyone, up and down the country. It touched us all, and the impact of Covid remains.

“We now have the opportunity to come together as a nation to remember the quarter of a million lives lost. We also pay tribute to those on the front line during the pandemic, who made enormous sacrifices, day in, day out, to keep the British public safe – whether in health and social care, education, policing, transport or other front-line services.

“I encourage everyone to mark this day in a way that feels right for them, whether attending a community event or taking a quiet moment of reflection at home.”

Chair of the UK Commission on Covid Commemoration, Baroness Morgan said: For so many across the country, the COVID-19 pandemic left a legacy of grief and loss that is still carried today. Everyone lost something.

“This year’s COVID-19 Day of Reflection is an opportunity for us all to pause and remember the lives lost because of the pandemic, recognising the efforts and sacrifices of frontline workers, as well as the volunteering and community spirit we saw and the contribution of the scientific community.”

This follows the Government affirming its commitment to the COVID-19 Day of Reflection as part of a broader commemorative programme that was announced last year.

The programme also included commitments to preserve the National Covid Memorial Wall, create new commemorative green spaces for reflection with NHS Charities Together and Forestry England, and launch a new fellowship programme focusing on natural hazards and resilience as part of the UK Research and Innovation Policy Fellowship programme.

As part of this programme, Covid Commemoration webpages have also been established, which include a series of oral histories, education materials and details on memorials across the UK.

St Columba’s: Waterfront Art Walks

Have you experienced loss in the past two years? Join us for gentle, creative walks, designed especially for those navigating grief.

Together, we’ll explore the local landscape through art-making, reflection and connection.

Facilitated by Caledonia Funeral Aid’s Emma Ritchie and St Columba’s Hospice’s community artist Isla Macleod, you will be warmly welcomed to share space with others who understand and find comfort in nature and community.

Mental Health Foundation: Finding The Light

COPING WITH GRIEF AT CHRISTMAS

Christmas is often portrayed as a season of wall-to-wall joy and celebration. But for those of us who have lost loved ones, this season can sometimes feel heavy and complicated.

Our CEO Mark reflects on his own journey with grief at this time of year and offers tips for those who may be struggling during the holidays.

Read the blog now: https://shorturl.at/USg13

#GriefAwarenessWeek

#MentalHealthAwareness

The Power of Poetry at St Columba’s

TUESDAY 11th NOVEMBER from 6.30 – 7.30pm

Discover the power of poetry as a tool for remembrance, on Tuesday 11th November from 6.30pm-7.30pm.

This guided session offers a gentle and welcoming space to reflect on loved ones through poems about memory, love, and loss. You are invited to join us in writing, sharing your own poems, or simply listening to others.

No poetry experience is needed; all are welcome to participate in this shared experience.

Light refreshments will be provided.

This session will be facilitated by our dramatherapist, Sally McRae.

Booking required – please email arts@stcolumbashospice.org.uk.

A community group for families effected by suicide say art can be ‘empowering’ for people dealing with mental health challenges

With Friday 10 October marking World Mental Health Day, community group, Lothians Speak Their Name, have shared the ‘powerful’ effect that art has had since the passing of their loved ones.

A recent survey by the National Galleries of Scotland found that 84% of total visitors to the galleries felt their visit had a positive impact on their wellbeing.

Co-director of Lothians Speak Their Name, Sue Henderson, says she has seen and experienced first-hand the positive impact art can have on mental health.

The group, which was originally set up to create a quilt in memory of people who have died by suicide in Edinburgh and the Lothians, have been regularly visiting exhibitions and displays at the National Galleries of Scotland ever since.

Having visited for almost a year, Sue shares how it has been an incredibly valuable experience for helping the group to navigate their loss.

Sue said: “We have loved coming to the galleries so much, for some it has been powerfully beneficial.

“The tours, led by Duncan Robertson at the National Galleries of Scotland, are brilliant, for that short time it allows people to just disconnect from all the pain of their grief. It gives a moment of distraction.

“There are people in our group who never came to the gallery before, they didn’t think it was for them, but to see the impact it has on them is just incredible. Whether listening to the amazing stories of the art or just getting lost for a moment, it really can have healing powers.

“Seeing the effect it has on members of the group is so striking. One woman who lost her son to suicide, got completely lost in the art and it gave her a moment of relief from the day to day pain.

“I had never seen it be so demonstrable before, the power of art and how it can offer a distraction from the worst imaginable grief. People in the group have shared how the art can take them out of themselves and what a beautiful distraction it is.”

Art plays a significant role in enhancing mental health by providing therapeutic benefits, fostering emotional expression, and promoting overall well-being. It has been proven that art can evoke feelings of joy, nostalgia or even sadness, which can be therapeutic for individuals dealing with mental health challenges.

Over the past 20 years research on the impact of the arts on health has been growing and in 2019 the World Health Organization (WHO) published a report called ‘What is the evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being?’.

The report looked at over 3000 studies from around the world which concluded that the arts play a major role in preventing and managing health. It identified the contribution that the arts may have in promoting good health and health equity, preventing illness, and treating acute and chronic conditions across the life-course.

This has launched further studies by WHO and the Jameel Arts & Health Lab in 2023 on the health benefits of the arts. As well as the Lancet Global Series Photo Essay which findings re-iterate the crucial importance of creativity within the sphere of health, and the evidence-based health benefits catalysed by imagination.

Research by the John Hopkins University School of Medicine even found that spending just 30 minutes in an art gallery once a month could extend your life expectancy by 10 years.

Siobhan McConnachie, Head of Learning and Engagement at National Galleries of Scotland said: ‘We are fortunate that we get to see the positive effect that art can have on people every single day in the gallery.

“But we know, and research shows, that art can do more than just put a smile on our faces, it can have real lasting impact on overall mental and physical health.

“We regularly welcome groups supporting people living with dementia, addiction recovery groups, health and wellbeing groups, mental health communities and so much more.

“It is important that art is considered holistically as a tool that can be used for early intervention and social prescribing in health, education and social care sectors.

“The power of art is truly incredible, and we are so delighted to have groups like Lothians Speak Their Name feel that in our galleries.’

Sue shared how the group have benefited from using art as a tool to connect with other people who are going through similar experiences. Brought together to make the memorial quilt, 49 people have made squares in memory of their loved ones, which hold the stories of their loves and lives.

As well as creating this beautiful memorial, it has brought people together as a community, where they’ve found support and friendship.

Sue added: “Our group was born out of the idea of making a quilt which remembers those we loved. Each square would represent someone in a positive way who was loved and lost, whether it included the things they loved or a fond memory of them.

“Some people in the group had never done anything like this but everyone felt how therapeutic it was to focus on something positive about their loved ones lives.

“There is something about being involved in a group activity together, whether creating the quilt or visiting the galleries. In the group everyone has experience of loss but that wasn’t the always the focus when we got together, the focus was also on creativity.

“There was never any pressure to talk about our losses. But what we found was that when everyone was distracted making their squares or looking at the art, conversations happened a lot more easily because the art was offering something else to focus on at the time.

“Often memories come with nothing but pain, but using art and creativity allowed everyone to remember the things they loved about the person, or to remember the good times.

“There are of course people who would come along, and they would never talk about their loss and that was okay too, because they still got to be in a room of people who understood what they were going through and that was support enough. They could come along and just immerse themselves in the task of creating the square.

“It was after we started making the squares that we reached out the galleries, and they offered us tours of exhibitions and displays. This just opened a whole new level of what we were doing. Some members of the group got really immersed in the visits and seeing the art offered inspiration.

“People have re-discovered their creative side and found a way to express themselves.

“Whether seeing or doing art I do believe it has a healing power. The fact we get to see the positive effect it can have on people is what I love most about this, it is an absolute privilege. So, I do really believe that art can be empowering for people dealing with mental health.”

The completed quilt has been touring around various locations in hope is that the individuals and lives it remembers will inspire viewers to start conversations about mental health and suicide and to reach out if they themselves are struggling.

It is currently one of 11 quilts on display at an exhibition in the Houses of Parliament in London.

If interested in getting involved in creating a square, please contact:

lothianspeaktheirname@gmail.com

As well as running regular tours for groups such as Lothians Speak Their Name, National Galleries of Scotland also warmly invites community groups, care homes and charities to book free visits to the galleries at a time that suits them.

Activities include guided tours of the collection and exhibitions, online art discussions, dementia-friendly sessions with specific themes, and bespoke tours tailored to the needs of each group

Surprise performance takes place at Scotland’s National Wallace Monument for Marie Curie’s Day of Reflection

Musical performances hosted across the UK to count down to Day of Reflection –
Marie Curie’s Day of Reflection will take place on Sunday 3 March –
Bereaved families will gather at Pollok Park on the Day of Reflection –

The public was treated to a surprise choir performance against the backdrop of the National Wallace Monument in Stirling yesterday to mark Marie Curie’s Day of Reflection this weekend. A day which will bring people together to remember those who died during the pandemic, and to show support to those who were bereaved.

On-lookers were stopped in their tracks during the poignant performance by local choir group, the Gospel Touch Choir, who sang a series of songs associated with loss and grief, urging people to take a moment to pause and reflect.

The surprise performance in Abbey Craig, Stirling is one of several to take place this week across the UK ahead of the Day of Reflection. Organised by the UK’s leading end of life charity, Marie Curie will lead the nation in the fourth annual Day of Reflection this Sunday 3^rd March, where people are being urged to pause again at midday and observe a minute’s silence.

In a recent poll, 50% of UK adults experienced the bereavement of a close friend, family member or acquaintance during the pandemic ^[1]. Almost half of which said they are still very much coming to terms with their grief (47%)^[2]. Over half (51) of respondents who experienced a bereavement during the pandemic agree ^[3] that bringing the nation together to remember the people who died, and show support to those who were bereaved, will help with their grief.

During the first wave of the pandemic, Marie Curie scaled up its bereavement support in response to the increased need it saw across the UK. The charity cares for people with any illness they are likely to die from. This includes dementia, motor neurone disease and advanced cancer, and its hospice and hospice care at home staff cared for people with Covid-19.

Matthew Reed, Chief Executive, Marie Curie said: “With our fourth Day of Reflection just days away, Marie Curie is urging the nation to take a moment to remember all the people who died during the pandemic and to show support for those who are bereaved.

“New data has confirmed what we are seeing on the ground. The pandemic endures in the minds of people who were bereaved, and huge swathes of the public are still grieving. Please show your support for them this Sunday, and if you need help with your grief, know that Marie Curie is here for you and ready to talk.”

Marie Curie has published a range of resources to support individuals and organisations wanting to observe the day, including:

An events map at dayofreflection.org.uk to find local events and register your own
A downloadable petal to share the name of someone you’re remembering on social media, tagging @mariecurieuk
Bereavement support for anyone who needs it, available from the charity’s free support line (0800 090 2309)
A special radio programme Sound Not Silence, hosted by Gaby Roslin, which will focus on the importance of music in grief and will be available to all radio stations on Sunday 3 March and at  dayofreflection.org.uk following the midday silence.

On the Day of Reflection, bereaved families will gather at Pollok Park at the I Remember Monuments at 11.45am. After the minute’s silence, there will be poetry readings and a piper. Everyone is welcome.

The anniversary of the first UK lockdown, March 23, marked the inaugural Day of Reflection in 2021. This year it moves to the new date of March 3, in line with the UK Commission on Covid Commemoration’s recommendation. The day is held each year to remember the people who died during the pandemic, and to show support for those who were bereaved.

St Columba’s: Supporting Your Child In Grief session

Our next ‘Supporting your child in grief’ session takes place on Thursday 11th January at 11am.

The session offers an opportunity for you to join other parents and carers to talk, share feelings and connect with one another. You can simply say it how it is, seek advice and hopefully pick up some tips from each other.

Baby loss memorial book

Charities and health professionals help design book – now open for applications

A Memorial Book is now open for anyone who has experienced pregnancy or baby loss prior to 24 weeks.

The book, produced jointly by the Scottish Government and National Records of Scotland, will give parents an opportunity – if they wish – to commemorate their loss with a physical record.

It was developed after listening to people who have experienced a pregnancy or baby loss prior to 24 weeks of pregnancy and is a free and entirely optional service.

Launching the book during a visit to the baby loss charity, Held In Our Hearts, First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “The loss of a baby at any stage of pregnancy has a profound impact on everyone affected, and the Scottish Government has listened to parents who told us how difficult it was that they often felt that their loss was not recognised.

“We have worked with health professionals, Royal Colleges, baby loss charities and National Records of Scotland to develop a Memorial Book of Pregnancy and Baby Loss, which provides a record of the loss, and a commemorative certificate.

“I am pleased that this is now open for applications from anyone who has experienced pregnancy or baby loss prior to 24 weeks. I am very grateful to everyone involved in making this a reality.

“I hope this will provide acknowledgment and a measure of comfort to those who have experienced the terrible sadness of a pre-24 week pregnancy or baby loss.”

Welcoming the announcement Nicola Welsh, Chief Executive of Held In Our Hearts, said: “The loss of a much-wanted baby at any stage of pregnancy, can be incredibly painful and isolating.

“A family are left grieving for a life they wished for and until now, for pre-24 week pregnancy and baby loss, there was no formal way to recognise that these little ones existed.

“The Memorial Book will, for the first time, provide the opportunity for families to have their little ones’ names added to the National Records of Scotland. We hope that by memorialising these little lives in this way, it will provide much needed comfort and recognition to these families.”

Chief Executive of Sands, and Chair of the Baby Loss Awareness Alliance, Clea Harmer said: “We hope that anyone who has been affected by pregnancy and baby loss prior to 24 weeks will find comfort in this new Memorial Book.

“We understand how vital it is for those who experience a bereavement at any stage in pregnancy to have their baby acknowledged and remembered and know that their babies’ lives mattered.”

National Records of Scotland will hold the Memorial Book, process applications and issue certificates.

The service is free of charge, completely voluntary and historical applications are welcome, as are applications for more than one loss.

Applications can be made by going online to:

www.nrscotland.gov.uk/registration/memorial-book-of-pregnancy-and-baby-loss-prior-to-24-weeks and downloading and printing the application form.

Struggling with grief?

EDINBURGH DEATH CAFE

Stockbridge Library – Wednesday 26 July from 6.30 – 8pm

Are you grieving?

Would it be good to sit with others at the Edinburgh Death Cafe?

Please come along and join us on Wednesday 26 July 6.30 – 8pm Stockbridge Library.

Tea and cake.

First Minister confirms Baby Loss Memorial Book to launch in summer

A Memorial Book for those who have experienced a pregnancy or baby loss prior to 24 weeks will be available this summer, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed.

Along with an entry in the book, those who have experienced a loss will be able to apply for a commemorative certificate which is intended to give recognition and comfort to those who want to record their loss. The service will be free of charge and completely voluntary.

Applications to have an entry included in the book, produced jointly by the Scottish Government and National Records of Scotland, will go live this summer.

Making the announcement, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The loss of a pregnancy or a baby is always painful. I have spoken in the past about my personal experience of miscarriage, and I know the sense of grief will stay with me and my husband forever.

“I also know that we would have drawn comfort at the time if there had been a way for us to mark the loss and formally recognise the child we were grieving.

“Launching this Memorial Book with the National Records of Scotland will give parents an opportunity – if they wish it – to commemorate their loss with a physical record, and to have their child recognised.

“I am very proud to support the Memorial Book and hope that it will bring comfort to those experiencing the pain of baby loss. I also hope that might also help break the silence and stigma around the loss of a pregnancy or a baby that sadly still exists in our society”.

“We warmly welcome the development of Scotland’s new Memorial Book and optional certificate for those who have experienced a loss before 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Ruth Bender Atik from the Baby Loss Awareness Alliance said: “Even the earliest of pregnancy losses can be deeply upsetting and the lack of any formal acknowledgement can add to that distress.

“We believe that for many people, the Memorial Book and certificate will provide great comfort and a validation that these tiny lives mattered.”

Applications to record a pre 24 week loss in the Memorial Book will go live following the launch in Summer 2023.
There is no statutory requirement to register the loss, and all information given is voluntarily.
The loss must have taken place in Scotland, or applicants must reside in Scotland at the time of application.
There is no requirement for applicants to submit medical evidence of the loss with the application and historical applications will be welcomed.
More than one loss can be recorded by an applicant, with each one requiring a separate application.