On Wednesday 26 June, a child and her family visiting Naomi House took part in the charity’s annual tradition and paid the hospices’ rent with a dozen red roses.
Every year, on or around Midsummer’s Day, Naomi House & Jacksplace gives 12 red roses as a peppercorn rent to Naomi and David Cornelius-Reid. This tradition dates back to before Naomi House first opened in 1997.
Naomi and David’s mother, Mary Cornelius-Reid, permitted the construction of a hospice on her land in the Sutton Manor Estate. In return, she requested a symbolic gesture: to name the hospice after her daughter, and to pay an annual rent of a dozen red roses. Mary sadly passed away in 2014, but the tradition lives on.
This year, Marlowe, who regularly visits Naomi House, her brother, Henley, and their mums, Clara and Ally presented the roses to Naomi and David. This was following a short speech from the charity’s recently appointed Director of Care, Erika Lipscombe, surrounded by staff, children, young adults and families who gathered to mark the occasion.
Erika Lipscombe, Director of Care at Naomi House & Jacksplace, said:
“It was a joy to be part of paying our annual peppercorn rent, for the very first time. Midsummer’s Day marks a very special date in our diary. It’s a time when we celebrate the generosity of the Cornelius-Reid family and the difference they’ve made to hundreds of children, young adults and families in our care. It’s so wonderful that Naomi and David gifted the roses back to Marlowe and her family after the presentation, too. I’d like to thank them both for their continued generosity and support.”
This year, one of the red roses presented to Naomi was a beautiful hand-crafted metal rose. This rose marks the launch of Naomi House & Jacksplace’s brand new ‘Garden of Roses’ campaign. The charity has teamed up with local blacksmith, Lucille, of ‘Little Duck Forge’, to invite supporters and the public to be part of this special tradition and donate to receive a rose of their own.
Naomi Cornelius-Reid said:
“It’s an honour to continue the tradition on behalf of my mother and receive the dozen red roses, surrounded by children, families and staff at Naomi House & Jacksplace. It’s always a pleasure to visit the hospices, meet everybody, and share cake and tea together after the presentation. A lovely little detail was that the roses are ‘Naomi’ roses, which were my mother’s favourite. And this year, I was delighted to receive a handcrafted metal rose from the charity’s ‘Garden of Roses’ campaign.”
To find out more about Naomi House & Jacksplace and the ‘Garden of Roses’ campaign, visit: www.naomihouse.org.uk/roses
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Photo credit: Jon Bolton – L-R: Lucille Scott, Henley Parker, Ally Parker, Clara Parker, Marlowe Parker, Naomi Cornelius-Reid, David Cornelius-Reid, Erika Lipscombe, Mark Smith
Naomi House & Jacksplace are hospices supporting life-limited and life-threatened children, young adults and their families from across the central South of England.
Naomi House nursing and medical staff provide individualised care that helps to enhance short lives and allows approximately 550 families to make the most of their precious time with their children.
Jacksplace is the only hospice for young adults in the South of England. The medical and care teams offer specialist care, often over many years, and uphold the dignity and independence of young adults accessing the service.
Naomi House & Jacksplace will be there on good days, difficult days and last days.
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