On December 1st, 82 people from across Peterborough, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire came together with volunteers and teams from Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice for a special winter remembrance event to find comfort in reflecting on the lives of those who have died.

The Sue Ryder Celebrate a Life Peterborough event, held at Peterborough Town Hall, provided an opportunity for attendees to remember cherished memories and pay tribute to people important to them.

The afternoon featured heartfelt readings and poignant poems shared by the staff and volunteers who deliver care to patients and their families. Music performances were provided from the Peterborough Community Gospel Choir.

During a special moment of reflection attendees placed messages on the Sue Ryder wall of lights in memory and later under dimmed lights they lit candles, passing the light from one to another until the hall was beautifully illuminated. Together these acts created a powerful and visual tribute to those whose lives were being celebrated.

Sue Ryder Celebrate a Life Peterborough brought local people together to remember those who have died

placeholder image — Sue Ryder Celebrate a Life Peterborough brought local people together to remember those who have died

Leonie Hatcher, Community Fundraising Manager at Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice helped to organise the event. She shared her thoughts on the afternoon: “Our Celebrate a Life event was an uplifting and deeply moving occasion that brought our community together in a truly special way. It was heartwarming to see attendees share stories, memories, and moments of reflection, creating a beautiful atmosphere of connection and support. This event allowed us to celebrate the lives of loved ones who have died, honouring their memories while offering comfort.

Beka Avery, Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice’s Head of Wellbeing at “On behalf of everyone at Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice, I want to thank all those who attended and made this event so meaningful. Your presence and shared stories truly created a powerful and memorable afternoon of love and remembrance." For those who were unable to attend, there is still the chance to leave a personal dedication in memory of someone special on Sue Ryder’s online dedication wall at sueryder.org/dedication.

If you are grieving and need support, Sue Ryder offers a variety of free bereavement support services, including its weekly Grief Kind Spaces drop in group sessions, free video counselling with trained bereavement counsellors, a 24-hour online community, and a wealth of resources for people who are grieving or supporting someone through a bereavement. To learn more, please visit our website sueryder.org/grief