12 Dec 2022 Community

The Kirkwood community come together to remember loved ones

Over the past two weekend hundreds of families came together as part of The Kirkwood’s Light up a Life appeal to remember loved ones, celebrate their lives and dedicate a light in their memory.

Each year, The Kirkwood invite people from across Kirklees and beyond to remember their loved ones and make a special dedication as part of Light up a Life. Following a series of special events, the beautiful tree at the heart of our gardens in Dalton is lit and continues to shine brightly throughout the festive period in memory of all those being remembered.

Light Up A Life gives people a chance to remember loved ones who are no longer with us, but whose memories live on forever in our hearts. It’s also a chance to come together as a community in reflection of the year just gone. 

This year’s Light up a Life services were led by Jonathan Sharp, The Kirkwood’s Spiritual Care Co-ordinator and Chaplain, with special readings from members of The Kirkwood team. The events were beautifully complemented with carols from Grange Moor Brass Band and music from talented vocalist Georgia Harrup and pianist Scarlett Kaye.

Poignant and heartfelt readings from members of The Kirkwood Nursing team heightened the sense of emotion as hundreds of guests held candles and gathered in the frostbitten gardens to listen to the words. 

People from across Kirklees and beyond came together in The Kirkwood gardens to celebrate the life of someone they love and pay tribute to them. One of those people was Danielle Humpleby who was remembering her dad Stephen Turner.

Danielle said: "I have come to Light up a Life for the last two years to remember my dad, Stephen, who died in 2020. The Kirkwood offered him some palliative care in November for three weeks.

“The Kirkwood staff are magnificent and were amazing with him in how they cared for him and us as a family. I came to remember him and to have an event like this to do that is special."

The Bunn family also joined hundreds of others on a freezing cold evening in The Kirkwood gardens. Ann, Tony and Gillian were remembering a beloved father and husband, Michael, who died in 2016, as well as a daughter and sister, Viv, who died in 1997. Both were cared for by The Kirkwood.

Ann said: "We have spent hours and hours at The Kirkwood’s hospice here in Dalton, visiting both Michael and Viv. When you come to Light up a Life you remember those moments when you were here.

“This is a special place for us, it is a calm place. There is a lot of rubbish in the world and when you are with The Kirkwood you feel calm and supported."

Tony added: "The Kirkwood’s hospice is not a sad place, despite what people go through. We have always felt supported by The Kirkwood. It's such an important charity to the local community and the nurses are just fantastic, they are so caring and considerate.

“Events like Light up a Life are important because they give people a chance to remember loved ones."

Orla was attending her first Light up a Life service last weekend. Having just moved to the area, she was invited to the event by one of our nurses, Fiona Marshall. Orla, who is Ukrainian, wanted to remember all the people who have sadly died due to the appalling war in her home country.

On being part of the event alongside hundreds of local people who had come to remember, she said: "Light Up A Life seems like a wonderful event to remember people that have died. I wanted to come here to remember all those who have died in Ukraine."

Fiona, who provides care and support for patients in their own homes across Kirklees, also has a personal connection to The Kirkwood, which made her involvement in this year’s service even more poignant. Fiona's dad, Ryan Thornton, died in 2019, and she attended the event to remember him and dedicate a light in his honour.

She says: "I am very proud to work for The Kirkwood. I see what our movement means to people and being part of Light up a Life –  and seeing so many people taking part – just emphasises that.

“I take part to remember my dad, who was cared for by us in 2019. I think what we do in Kirklees is so important and I see that on a daily basis."

Michael Crowther, Chief Executive with The Kirkwood, was moved to see so many people coming together as part of this year’s Light up a Life celebrations.

He said: “I’m so grateful to all the people who have made a dedication to this year’s Light up a Life appeal, taken the time to join us at one of our events or have tuned in to our service online.

“Light up a Life is a really important event in The Kirkwood’s calendar. It’s a chance to come together as one community, to reflect on the special people in our lives and light our tree in their memory.

“The lights on our tree in The Kirkwood gardens represent those who are important to us. But they also represent the kindness and generosity of our local community.

“As a charity, we only exist because of the generosity of local people. The care that we provide is only possible because of the generosity of local people. And fortunately for us, thanks to local people, who believe in the care we provide for local families that light never goes out.”

Everyone connected with The Kirkwood would like to all those who helped to make this year’s Light up a Life a success. 

You can still make a dedication to someone special this festive season. If you’d like to find out more visit: thekirkwood.org.uk/lightupalife