We Remembered Together at Lanterns at the Lakes

We were blessed with the most incredible Spring evening for our very first in-memory walk, Lanterns at the Lakes on Sunday 24th March. It truly was as though the light of our loved ones was shining down on us as we joined together in their memory.

March 2019

Reverend Sally Anne delivered a beautiful and poignant blessing before the walk commenced and the beautiful notes of the Salvation Army then washed over us as we began the one-mile route around the picturesque Stanwick Lakes.

Your support and enthusiasm for this very special event was incredible, with 161 people joining us on the day. From reflective widows who chose to walk peacefully alone, through to large family groups toasting the memory of their loved ones as the sun set, the event gave everyone the chance to come together and realise that gone is never forgotten.

We were keen that the event was inclusive for everyone in our community, whether they’d lost someone in our Hospice or not. Our own Marketing Manager Jacqueline Cheung lost her Grandad last November and she invited her family along to take part in this reflective event.

She commented: “The day of the event would have been my Grandad’s 94th birthday, so as soon as we started planning Lanterns on the Lakes I knew that my family would love to come along and support the walk.

“Seeing so many people come together to celebrate the lives of their loved ones was really special and the atmosphere allowed us all to reflect together and feel as though you were supported by others on the same journey.”

As the final participants made their way back to the Visitors Centre the sun had set and the Lanterns twinkled in the twilight, a really perfect end to such a poignant new event.

As well as being a beautiful celebration of so many lives, participants also raised over £1,000 for Cransley Hospice – which will allow us to continue to care for more local people at the end of their lives and perhaps even expand our bereavement services so that more of the people in attendance could continue to benefit from on-going support from the Chaplaincy team at the Hospice.

We hope that this event will become a permanent fixture in our annual calendar and look forward to welcoming more families to remember with us next year!