Nightingale House Hospice launch 1200 Everlasting Welsh poppies to help celebrate the life of someone you love

Residents are being encouraged to celebrate the life of their loved ones with an everlasting Welsh poppy.

A local hospice will launch its second Sunshine Meadow, selling specially designed everlasting Welsh poppies, following on from its’ highly successful sunflower campaign last year.

Working in partnership with the National Trust, Nightingale House Hospice is intending to display 1200 everlasting Welsh poppies on the West Front of Erddig Hall, Wrexham.

The vibrant yellow flower, custom-made by the British Ironworks Centre in Oswestry, is a celebration of life and wellbeing and is meant as a lasting reminder of a loved one or simply in recognition of the hundreds of people who have been cared for at Nightingale House over the past 25 years.

The stalk of each poppy will be hollow and can hold the name or small photograph or a memento relating to a loved one if desired. The campaign has been kindly sponsored by Wrexham-based businesses Excell Supply Limited and DTCC.

The Hospice had originally intended to display the poppies during June and but due to the Coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent lockdown organisers hope a new date will be feasible once the lockdown is lifted and is asking everyone to bear with them.

Delyth Underwood, In Memory Fundraiser at Nightingale House Hospice said support for the hospice was needed more than ever before due to the cancellation or postponement of its fundraising events and the closure of the charity’s shops and cafes as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.

She said: “We were overwhelmed by the success of our sunflower meadow at Chirk Castle last year. It clearly demonstrates the love and affection our supporters have for the hospice across our locality.

“If someone comes into your life and makes a lasting impression on you, you are always going to be thankful for the joy they brought into your life.”

Each Welsh poppy costs £25.

Jon Everall of Excell Supply Ltd added: “Excell Supply are delighted to be sponsoring Nightingale House Hospice for the first time with this lovely fundraising campaign.

“The poppies will look spectacular at Erddig and will help raise much needed financial support for this trusted local charity. We are really looking forward to seeing the fantastic display at Erddig later this year.”

To buy a poppy, you can purchase over the telephone by calling 01978 314292, alternatively you can purchase online via the Nightingale House Hospice web page at https://bit.ly/NHHSun.

Following the installation, each poppy will be ready for collection with a certificate of authenticity at the hospice.