Snowflake appeal remembers loved ones
On 2ND December the Fundraising and Membership team launched the “snowflake appeal”. The appeal for staff, relatives, patients or the public allows them to buy a pretty memorial snowflake for a small donation. The snowflake can be written on and personalised by the individual in memory of a loved one, at what can be a very difficult time. These snowflakes are then placed on one of the Snowflake Trees donated to City, Sandwell, Rowley Regis and Sheldon Block by local companies including GM Building and Property Services, A&D Aquatics as well as Unison and the Royal College of Nursing. At the end of December, all the snowflakes will be collected and placed into a memory box and buried in the memorial garden at City Hospital. A fundraising event was also held at Asda Perry Barr for this appeal. Estelle Greenwood, Fundraising Manager said the feedback from this appeal has been very positive and has touched many people, often people cannot find the words to express how they feel at Christmas time especially when they have lost a loved one or are remembering family members and by putting these sentiments in writing onto the snowflake, and placing it on a tree keeps their loved one very much alive in their hearts and not forgotten. Unison also kindly donated a real 10ft christmas tree which has been planted in the memorial garden alongside a new memorial bench with name plaques of staff who worked at SWBH and have sadly passed away. Ann Stevenson, Chaplain held a blessing for the bench and the Christmas tree and many staff attended along with the Pre-School Nursery children who sang carols around the Tree. Fundraising for the bench was organised by domestic staff.
All funds raised for the snowflake appeal will go towards gifts for patients unfortunate to be in hospital over Christmas.