Hundreds of people from across Greater Manchester will be remembering their loved ones as part of a very special appeal this Spring, in support of local charity St Ann’s Hospice.
The Forget-Me-Not appeal gives people the chance to receive a special wooden keepsake and, if they wish, to attend a service to remember friends or family members they can no longer be with, whilst making a donation to St Ann’s.
Organisers of the appeal, which runs until July, are expecting the total number of people taking part to reach more than a thousand before it closes, with all donations going towards helping local patients, their families and carers.
The charity, which operates from three sites in Little Hulton, Heald Green and the Neil Cliffe Centre in Wythenshawe Hospital looks after thousands of patients every year with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses – managing their symptoms, providing support, caring for people at the hospice or at home, and providing end of life care.
Rachel McMillan, acting chief executive at St Ann’s explained: “As a local charity, we’re always overwhelmed when people from across Greater Manchester join one of our appeals, and it’s really humbling to see so many people remembering their loved ones with the keepsakes and signing up to come along to one of the services of remembrance.
“To join in the appeal, local people don’t need to have lost someone here at the hospice either – we do often see people who don’t have any connection with St Ann’s but want to celebrate the life of someone in this special way by joining in too.
“A huge thank you to everyone who has already taken part, and also to anyone else who joins in over the coming few months. Every penny raised really does make a difference.”
For further information on St Ann’s, or if you would like to take part in the Forget-Me-Not Appeal to remember someone special, visit: www.sah.org.uk/forget-me-not, or contact 0161 498 3631.