My first Christmas without my
much-loved Mum. Thought of and missed every minute of every day.

So dearly loved and deeply missed. First Christmas in 43 years without you. Love you always xxxx

2 Christmas with out you Dad. Doesn’t get any easier.

This is the 10th Christmas without you.
Another year too of you not playing Father Christmas for the playgroup.
All the family will be thinking of you. Xx

I will always remember sleeping in you room Christmas Eve so that we could wake up in the morning and run downstairs to check if Santa had been.
Your missed by us all

Merry Christmas xx

Much loved Wife, Mum, Nan and Nanny. One year since we lost you, thinking of you always xx

My parents passed away 23 years and 9 years ago respectively, and although they didn't require the services of St Barnabas, I feel this local charity is such a worthy cause. The Light up a Life fundraiser is a wonderful idea. You remember your loved ones who have passed each and every day, but this Light up a Life at Christmas is especially special! Forever remembered…

In memory of my Mum, and Charlie my good friend. Miss and love you both so much.
Always love you…
Jane and Family. xxxxx

Shine Bright Tonight. Thinking of you both now and always xxx

I will always remember our last Christmas, 2019, as being very special, we were all together for the last time.
I now know how precious every day of our 53 years together was and now what lovely memories I have for ever.

As another Christmas without you passes, we remember the good times and hope we make you proud everyday xxxx

We will never forget you mummy xx

Love Mitchell, Peggy and Gavin .

David, the love of my life. Always on my mind, forever in my heart.

Love and miss you everyday ❤️ always in my thoughts xxx

Hello, I have made a kind donation in memory of my amazing mum, Sarah and would love to share her story.

My mum was cared for by St Barnabas hospice, and stayed in the inpatient unit November-December 2024. At the age of 38 she had been diagnosed with a rare, incurable form of genetic lung cancer. Her short battle with cancer was terrible for us all to see, but the incredible care she received at your hospice meant the world to us.

One of the last memories we ever made with our mum was watching the torchlight procession together outside the unit. The staff assisted in bundling my mum up in blankets and fluffy socks and wheeled her outside to watch the light walk with her family and children. There were tears, smiles, laughter, kind words and hugs from those passing by. I am heartbroken yet honoured to be participating in the walk this year in honour of my mother.

On the 4th of December, the staff set up their conservatory to allow us to spend one last Christmas Day as a family. We laid presents under the beautiful tree, played music and ate a Christmas dinner and cakes brought in by family. My mum was able to watch her young boys and teenage girls open the presents she’d picked out for them earlier in the year, alongside being spoilt herself with lots and lots of bracelets, teddy bears and skincare! The nurses were constantly on hand to assist with pain management and ensuring my mum was comfortable throughout the day.

The staff gave it their all, from washing, brushing and drying mum’s hair to being there for a broken family in the worst moments of their life. They went above and beyond to allow us to make those last memories. The nurses constantly spoke to me and my siblings and ensured we were staying as strong as possible! Mandy stayed with us as my mum took her last breaths and I’m forever grateful that we had her support and guidance, and that she showed my mum complete compassion and gentle care right up until the end.

My mum was treated with respect and dignity until the moment she left your unit. She loved the yummy food, joking around with her nurses and watching the squirrels and birds from her window. It felt like home.

Thank you St Barnabas, we will always keep your charity close to our hearts. You have made a huge difference to our lives.

Mike, this is my first Christmas without you. I will miss you more than words…sleep peacefully my little Christmas angel. I love you xxx

Thinking of you Dad at this special time as we do every day. We love and miss you. Lots of love from Rita, Jane, John, Jessica, Chris, Holly, Eleanor, Poppy xxx

Missed every day.

Stuart, three years on and missing you as much as the first day, always remembered and much loved x

A special lady

We miss you so much and you are always in our thoughts

My darling wife. Our first Christmas without you. Miss you so very much. Love from Lisa and your fur babies x

My first Christmas without you Mum. I do know though that you are still with me in your own way. We will always be together. Be at peace until we see each other again. Love, your little girl xxx

Thinking of you both at Christmas, forever in our hearts, loved and remember everyday as those we love don’t go away, forever in our hearts you stay xx
your loving family xxx

We are remembering my Grandad. An amazing trombone player in his day as well as a terrifically talented joiner. My Grandad was like a built in best friend. So funny, his smile and laugh just lit up the entire room. And I would always feel safe and secure whenever he was near, he just had a calming presence. He always reassured you that you would be fine and give you a big squeeze and you would instantly feel better. My grandad was so determined, this showed when he had a stroke when I was younger and he had to learn how to read, write and speak again and he did. He passed away two years ago now from falling on a rainy day and after all he had achieved recovering from those traumas, it left such a hole in our lives for him to be suddenly taken when he was so healthy. Our lives are definitely different without him as he was such a light and a joy. Everyone who met him says the same, he was just a force of nature. The best husband, father and grandad in the world.
We are also remembering my Granny (Grandad’s wife) unfortunately she passed when I was a baby so I didn’t get much time with her, which really upsets me but when I hear all the wonderful and also funny stories about her I truly feel like I know her so well. She was so kind, so creative, also a force of nature. She was very determined, she ran a restaurant whilst taking care of her family and just had so many feathers to her cap! She had an eye for detail. I wish I could have spent years on end with her, going around antique shops which she so dearly loved. She was a treasured wife, mother and Granny.
We are also remembering my Auntie Bridget. When my granny passed away Auntie Bridget sort of took on the role of Granny duties. And to this day , I can say she truly shaped who I am. She was so kind, so delicate, always fair. Auntie Bridget loved church and keeping her rosary beads close to her (which is something I like to do now because of her), everything in her home was perfect and beautiful. Some of the best memories of my childhood are school holidays at my Auntie Bridget’s. And walking through her front door and getting a whiff of her homemade chicken soup that she was cooking. Everyone who knew her, held a special place in their hearts for Auntie Bridget and that’s a fact. We miss her everyday.

And finally we are remembering my Granny Flynn (Auntie Bridget’s sister and my Mums Granny) she too passed when I was baby so I don’t have any memories with her and I so wish I did because of the stories I hear she was such a kind and wonderful person to know. I have one picture of her holding me when I was just born, I’m asleep in her lap and she is looking down at me just like an angel and she is so very gently holding my tiny hand with the tips of her fingers, the picture is so beautiful and special because although I never knew her that picture shows how much she loved me and how many memories we would have made together , the memories would have been wonderful. My mum describes her as so elegant and very much “a lady” and she was a huge part of my mum’s growing up, almost everyday they would see her, she was like a “second mum”. It just shows how treasured she was.