Covid-19News

Local Hospice To Host Virtual Memorial Service For Those Affected By Bereavement And Loss In Birmingham’s Care Homes

Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice is warmly inviting relatives, friends and care workers to come together online to remember those who have died during the Covid-19 pandemic in the city’s care homes.

The virtual memorial service is organised in partnership with Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham Voluntary Service Council and the Birmingham Council of Faiths and aims to unite and support communities during this uncertain time.  Hosted on Zoom between 7-8pm on Thursday 6th August, the memorial service is free to join and open to all, including those whose loved ones have sadly died, current residents affected by the death of friends and neighbours and staff working in care homes.

With national guidelines leading to visiting restrictions in care homes across the city, many people have faced challenging times over the past few months, leaving them feeling, isolated, helpless and worried about the wellbeing of their loved ones, friends and neighbours.

Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice Care Homes Support Team have been working with care homes in Birmingham for almost two years, supporting staff with training, advice and guidance to enable good care at the end of life for residents and their loved ones. When the Covid-19 pandemic took hold, the Hospice redeployed the lead nurse specialist to work alongside Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Care Homes Team to ensure good end of life care support was available in these settings during the crisis.

The online event will open with words from Sharon Hudson, Community Development and Partnerships Lead at Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice and Steve McCabe, MP for Selly Oak.  A selection of personal tributes will be shared and participants will be invited to light a candle of remembrance as they unite to remember loved ones in a minute’s silence, before joining together in multi-faith prayer and song.

Speaking ahead of the memorial service, Sharon Hudson said “Through our collaborative work with Birmingham care homes we recognised that there had been a large number of terribly sad deaths, with many people bereaved and suffering in isolation.  As a Hospice, we wanted to offer a place where together people could remember those who had died, and receive support, in recognition of how greatly this has affected us as a whole Birmingham community.

“We designed a memorial service with colleagues and our friends at BVSC and the Birmingham Council of Faiths, which is being supported by our community with prayer, remembrance, music and poetry.”

To join the memorial service on 6th August, please register your interest at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/birmingham-care-homes-memorial-service-tickets-111135998764?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch

Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice is a local charity which cares for individuals who are living with life-limiting illness.  As well as providing vital care in people’s homes, in the community and at the Hospice, it supports families and carers cope with the bereavement after someone they love has died.

After seeing a huge drop in its income during the pandemic, Birmingham St Mary’s has recently launched its ‘Resilience Fund Appeal’ to help cope with the effects of COVID-19 and keep its services running.  The appeal’s logo is a white feather, symbolising the memories of loved ones who are no longer with us, but also as a sign of hope and determination that brighter days are ahead. To find out more about this urgent appeal, go to https://www.birminghamhospice.org.uk/campaigns/resilience/

 

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