St Elizabeth Hospice’s much-loved remembrance event, Suffolk Remembers, sees 5,000 candles displayed along Felixstowe seafront as hundreds of people gather to remember their loved ones, as the moving remembrance service brings the annual Suffolk Day is brought to a close.
Taking place on Friday 21st June from 9pm-10pm, this year’s event will see live performances from Ipswich singer, Roma Manteiga-Nicholson, Pop Chorus choir and Martlesham Brass as well as a number of poetry readings. Also in attendance will be the Suffolk High Sheriff, Yvonne Gilchrist-Mason, and Canon Philip Banks of St Edmundsbury Cathedral.
Catherine Sheppard, Individual Giving Manager at St Elizabeth Hospice, said: “Suffolk Remembers is a very special day in the hospice calendar, where we join with the local community to remember those no longer with us and bring Suffolk Day to a close in a poignant way.
“Once again, on 21st June, we look forward to welcoming one and all to Suffolk Remembers, where we will celebrate the lives of our loved ones on the beautiful Felixstowe seafront, as we listen to a number of readings and musical performances.”
Now in its eighth year, Suffolk Remembers is a free to attend event, but with each dedicated candle the hospice kindly asks supporters to consider making a donation to the independent Suffolk charity, which every year cares for more than 4,000 patients, living with a progressive or life-limiting illness, and their families throughout East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney.
All are welcome to dedicate a candle, even if they have not previously been under the hospice’s care, and the hospice is encouraging all who have lost a friend or relative to take the opportunity to join people from across the region in remembering them through Suffolk Remembers 2024, which once again is sponsored by East of England Co-op Funeral Services.
This year at Suffolk Remembers, Anne Edmunds will be remembering her wife Jill Sly, by lighting and dedicating a candle. Jill died in August 2022 while receiving support from St Elizabeth Hospice, shortly after being diagnosed with a brain tumour in July and having just celebrated her 69th birthday.
“By lighting candles, seeing your loved one’s name lit up makes the whole evening very personal to those we have lost,” Anne explained.
“By listening to the stories of others, the readings, the poems, enjoying the choir and the band, really helps me feel at peace with myself and go some way towards the long process of healing.
“It is lovely to feel part of something in the company of those who too, are grieving quietly.”
Each dedication will also include a photo and a message to a loved one which will be included in the Suffolk Remembers’ online gallery and a physical, battery candle will be added to the hospice’s physical event display.
The candles will be displayed from Friday 21st June, at Felixstowe Seafront Gardens, until 1pm on Monday 24th June 2024.
To dedicate a candle and to find out further information about Suffolk Remembers visit www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/suffolk-remembers/, email fundraising@stelizabethhospice.org.uk or call 01473 723600.
About St Elizabeth Hospice
St Elizabeth Hospice improves life for people in East Suffolk through to Great Yarmouth and Waveney living with a progressive or life-limiting illness. Our work is centred on an individual’s needs, which means specialist support, whenever and wherever it is needed, whether at home, in the community or at the hospice. Through medicine and therapy we ease pain; we give life purpose and make life liveable.
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CASE STUDY May 2024
Anne Edmunds – Suffolk Remembers – Jill’s Story for St Elizabeth Hospice
The care of the St Elizabeth Hospice team really is humanity at its best. I cannot thank them enough
Every year St Elizabeth Hospice’s memorial event Suffolk Remembers, sees 5,000 candles displayed along Felixstowe seafront as hundreds of people gather to remember their loved ones.
Now in its eighth year, the annual event sponsored by East of England Co-op Funeral Services will once again take place on 21stJune, with the hospice inviting all who have lost a friend or relative to take the opportunity to join others from across the region in remembering them.
This year at Suffolk Remembers, Anne Edmunds will be remembering her wife Jill Sly, by lighting and dedicating a candle. Jill died in August 2022 while receiving support from St Elizabeth Hospice, shortly after being diagnosed with a brain tumour in July and having just celebrated her 69th birthday.
“By lighting candles, seeing your loved one’s name lit up makes the whole evening very personal to those we have lost,” Anne explained.
“By listening to the stories of others, the readings, the poems, enjoying the choir and the band, really helps me feel at peace with myself and go some way towards the long process of healing.
“It is lovely to feel part of something in the company of those who too, are grieving quietly.”
Annually, St Elizabeth Hospice cares for more than 4,000 patients and their families throughout East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney.
This care sees the independent Suffolk charity providing free services – whenever and wherever it is needed, whether at home, in the community or at the hospice – to those living with a progressive or life-limiting illness.
“Jill was simply the love of my life,” said Anne. “After receiving her diagnosis in July, Jill spent three weeks in hospital before returning home.
“We were determined that she would be able to spend her last days in the familiar and comfortable surroundings of her own home, with the people she loved around her.
“With the help of St Elizabeth Hospice we were able to make this happen and they were brilliant in making Jill as comfortable as possible.
“On the day she came home, I rang the hospice’s 24/7 phone support line – OneCall – and within an hour two hospice nurses had come to see us. They took over Jill’s care and looked after me, as well, from that night onwards, with their compassionate care.
“Their care, kindness, sensitivity and love was exemplary, and they helped Jill be at home which was where she wanted to be.
“As well as medication and pain management, the nurses also gave Jill personal care. They used her favourite creams and perfumes to give her a sense of wellbeing, dressing her in her favourite t-shirts, brushing and washing her hair – just the real human touches, which brought a degree of normality into both our lives.
“With their kindly nature, the nurses chatted away to Jill and as they went about their work, she followed them with her eyes.
“The St Elizabeth Hospice nurses also made sure I took breaks, giving me lots of cups of tea and reassuring me. With their support, I was able to somehow find the strength to carry on being positive myself.
“The care of the St Elizabeth Hospice team really is humanity at its best. I cannot thank them enough.
“Jill will continue to live on in my heart and be part of my life forever and also will remain in the hearts of family and friends who loved her and who continue to love her and always will.”
Further information about Suffolk Remembers can be found at www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/suffolk-remembers.
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