Mum, Christmas won't be the same without you, but I promise there will be laughter amongst the tears. You gave us all so many magical, joyful Christmas memories (and delicious food!). That magic will never fade.

You spent your life helping others, and now I know first hand just how invaluable St. Barnabas nurses like you are.

To all of you at St. Barnabas, you are angels on earth.

Both sadly missed and not forgotten.

Barry was a lovely, kind and supportive friend. My husband and I miss him very much. We have many happy memories of our time together.

Will miss and love you always.
Janis and girlies
xxx

Dad . Remembering you at Christmas and always in our hearts missed every day love all of us ❤

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.

Wonderful memories of great times spent together. Adrenalin-fuelled planning, 'who' was coming and 'when'? Last minute shopping a certainty! The fraught stages of prep forgotten as the day filled with love, laughter, and good cheer. Remembered now with great love as that Christmas Table shrinks, albeit gradually.

I lost Ken 8 years and he is still in my heart

Remembering you all at Christmas and wishing that you were still here with us. Loved Always and sadly missed

Millennium Christmas 1999 when we gathered as a Family at Russell And Sue’s House in Rushden, Northamptonshire and had fun, food, and games, it was a good family get together, full of love, joy and laughter to celebrate ringing the New Year 2000 in.

There are no words to say how much I miss you, and especially at this time of year on our first Christmas without you. You always made Christmas so magical for us growing up and I’m trying to do the same for the girls, after all I was taught by the best, but without you every day is tinted with a little grey

Merry Christmas mum, I love you xxxx

Mum loved visiting Lincoln Cathedral at Christmas. I think she would have been happy to know her light giving others so much pleasure. She is so missed. X

Missed everyday especially at Christmas time. Loved always x

Not a day goes by that we don’t think about you, your laugh and your smile. We miss you so much but we know that you are now lighting up the sky with your smile and the stars shine brighter now you’ve joined them – i love you nanny ????

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.

Miss you every day, Nan. Love you to the moon and back, always xxxx

FRANK BULL – 02.01.1952 – 02.11.2019
Remembering My Frankie the love of my life!! We all miss and love you so very much. RIP my love. You are always with us in our hearts and minds. We all think of you and talk of you daily. You were our everything. We miss your smile and laughter always. Until we are together again my love. Angie, Richard, David, Ann-Marie & Grandchildren: Violet, Eve, Theia and Elias xxx xxxx

I miss you both each and every day. Look after each other and look out for Jeff xx

Wherever you are, I hope the skies are bluer, the colours are brighter, the hills are higher and the world is kinder. I will love you forever x

This will be our first Christmas without you but I know you'll be there in spirit

Remembering our amazing Mum, who passed away in January this year. We all miss her so much.

In loving memory – Loved and remembered every day, so sadly missed by us all XXX

Forever loved and missed everyday Love Fiona xx

You are a light in my life still. I will always be grateful for the little time we had here. Love always, Joanna xxx

My dad passed away 15 days ago at home with me holding his hand. I can not thank St Barnabas hospice home care enough for how they looked after my dad in his final week and how they supported me also. So much care and empathy from the nurses that tended to my dad. I will forever be grateful. Thank you