A Time to Remember

The Coronavirus pandemic has affected us all in many ways, changing not only the ways we live our lives, but also how we join together to remember loved ones after they have died.

Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice Care provides supportive and end of life care for patients and families who are living with an advanced or terminal illness, such as cancer. It looks after over 2,000 patients every year, and would usually hold remembrance services for those who have died, which their families and friends could attend, to remember their loved ones and draw comfort from. Because of the pandemic, the charity has been unable to hold these services as they usually would, and so has created a virtual version – A Time to Remember – for people to watch at home.

The first virtual service will take place at 10am on Friday April 2nd, and will remember those who died in Phyllis Tuckwell’s care between September 2019 and October 2020 inclusive. Their relatives and friends will be invited to join the service virtually, and can request for the names of their loved ones to be read out during the service, when candles will be lit in their memory. Other services will be held later in the year, to remember those who died in Phyllis Tuckwell’s care after this date.

“The pandemic has changed how we care for our patients and the way we join together to remember their lives,” says Jill Thornton, Lead Chaplain at Phyllis Tuckwell. “As we can’t gather together in person, our virtual service will mark the deaths of those whom we have cared for, and honour their lives. We hope that it will bring comfort and support to those who are grieving.”

If would like the name of a loved one read out during the first virtual service, please call 01252 729430 or email pafs@pth.org.uk before March 26th.