Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice has unveiled a stunning Memory Tree in the growing and developing Reflection Garden which is being created in the hospice grounds in Headingley.
Designed by RHS Chelsea Gold medal winning designer, Katherine Holland, the garden will provide a quiet sanctuary for patients and staff members, where remembrance, comfort and healing can take place.
Featuring exquisite planting, pathways and the eye-catching Memory Tree, where loved ones can be remembered, the garden is completely accessible for wheelchair and bed access. It offers peaceful, calm areas where people can find respite and connect with nature.
The garden’s opening event was attended by a host of valued supporters from the local community, including representatives from West Yorkshire ICB, local trusts and foundations, corporate funders and partners, volunteers and local community groups. Lord Mayor of Leeds, Cllr Abigail Marshall Katung was also in attendance, and cut the ribbon to officially unveil the Memory Tree, aided by a willing helper.
Head of Hospice Fundraising, Jen Wickham, said: “It was so wonderful to host a special event to showcase our growing and developing Reflection Garden, which will offer a quiet haven for our patients, their family and friends, as well as providing a quiet place for our staff to escape for relaxation and mindfulness.
“The garden transformation has only been made possible thanks to the continued support of our local community, funders and valued supporters. I’d like to express our thanks to The Morrisons Foundation, for their huge generosity, Katherine Holland for her wonderful designs, and Phil and Jane Coates, who have funded our Memory Tree, in memory of their daughter Charlotte and her husband Richard.
“I’d also like to thank Cllr Abigail Marshall Katung, Lord Mayor of Leeds, for attending our ribbon-cutting ceremony, and for being such a charming guest.”
A series of raised beds are also planned, so patients can benefit from gardening therapy sessions, which help reduce stress and promote wellbeing.
Joseph Clark-Bland, from the Morrisons Foundation, said: “We’re proud to be part of such a heart-warming project, having a real impact for families during a very difficult time.”
Lord Mayor of Leeds, Cllr Abigail Marshall Katung said: “I was delighted to be part of this wonderful event, and to unveil the Memory Tree in the Reflection Garden. I know from personal experience how important it is to have peaceful spaces like this, where we can reflect and remember loved ones no longer with us. I am sure this beautiful garden will provide solace and comfort to many patients and their families for many years to come.”
Katherine Holland, who also created Sue Ryder’s magnificent Grief Kind Garden at RHS Chelsea this year – winning a coveted gold medal in the process –added: “My own experiences of losing a loved one and the grief that followed are the reason I came to work with Sue Ryder. When I was asked to produce a design for this space at Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice, I knew I wanted to create a safe and peaceful sanctuary, in which to sit and be enveloped in the beauty of nature. I have selected planting that provides all-year-round interest in a calming and reflective colour pallet, so the garden offers a serene sanctuary for care, reflection and remembrance.”
To find out more about reserving a leaf on the Memory Tree, email: wheatfields.fundraising@sueryder.org
For more information about Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice, visit: sueryder.org/wheatfields
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Picture Captions:
Ribbon cutting: Cllr Abigail Marshall Katung at the ribbon cutting ceremony, with a willing helper!
Memory Tree: From left to right: Lou Addison (Corporate Partnerships Manager at Sue Ryder), Katherine Holland (Garden Designer), Cllr Abigail Marshall Katung (Lord Mayor of Leeds),
Wheatfields Garden Picture 1: From left to right: Jen Wickham, Head of Hospice Fundraising at Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice, Katherine Holland (Garden Designer) Lou Addison (Corporate Partnerships Manager at Sue Ryder), Cllr Abigail Marshall Katung (Lord Mayor of Leeds), Michelle Bennett (West Yorkshire ICB), Joseph Clark-Bland (Morrisons Foundation)
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