Peterborough residents can pay tribute to lost loved ones thanks to Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice

An Incredible Memories Fund is an online tribute page that enables family members and friends to share photos, memories, raise funds and light a virtual candle in celebration of someone’s life.

With the coronavirus pandemic interrupting integral elements of people’s bereavement journeys, this is a special way to ensure personal tributes are recorded, while raising vital funds for Sue Ryder.

Furthermore, with ongoing restrictions on large funerals and wakes, an Incredible Memories Fund provides a space for families and friends to come together for comfort and emotional support and to process their grief.

Locally, the charity runs Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice which provides palliative care for people with life-limiting conditions and supports their loved ones.

Leanne Patterson’s friend Bev Burdock was cared for in her final days at Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice in 2017. Leanne, from Baston in Lincolnshire, has set up an Incredible Memories tribute page in Bev’s memory. With the support of Bev’s family and friends, Leanne has raised £5,883 for Sue Ryder. She said:

“I set up the Incredible Memories tribute page in memory of my dear friend Bev, who we sadly lost to cancer in 2017 - she was aged just 49. I live in a close-knit village and we all knew and loved Bev. The page has enabled us to create events and fundraise for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice in her memory.

“Our main fundraiser is our Christmas messages event on social media. It’s a private group set up for our village and friends of Bev. We write our Christmas messages and post our pictures instead of sending Christmas cards (which Bev didn’t like writing!), and give the money to the tribute page. We have done it every year since she died, and this year we raised a fantastic £1,715.

“The page, and this event, allows us to give back to Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice and thank them for the wonderful care they provide. Bev’s last Christmas was spent at the hospice and this was made very special for her and her family.”

Joely Garner, Community Fundraising Manager at Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice, said: “We are so grateful to Leanne and all of Bev’s family and friends for their kind support and for raising an amazing amount of money in Bev’s memory. This will help us to continue providing our compassionate palliative care and bereavement support and being there when it matters for other local families. Incredible Memories Funds can be a truly special way to celebrate the life of someone who means so much, and do something positive in their name.”

Bianca Neumann-May, Head of Bereavement at Sue Ryder said: “As a society, the grief those around us are experiencing right now is unlike anything we have ever witnessed before.

“Funerals are an incredibly important part of the grieving process. It is a way to recognise your loss, celebrate the life that has been lived and can offer closure and support. Without this ritual, it may be hard for some people to fully process their loss and it’s upsetting for many that they can’t give their loved one the send-off they deserved.

“The Incredible Memories Fund is an important tool for people to process their grief in these unprecedented times. Not only does it allow people to celebrate a life that has been lived in the absence of big funerals, but it keeps their memory alive for years to come.”

To find out more about setting up an Incredible Memories Fund, visit www.sueryder.org/incredible-memories-funds

Sue Ryder also provides a range of online bereavement support, including free video counselling delivered through trained bereavement counsellors; an online community forum offering 24 hour peer to peer support and a wide range of advice and resources for people who are grieving or supporting someone through bereavement. Read more at www.sueryder.org/online-bereavement-support