Service of remembrance returns to Wigan charity to honour lives of nearly 2,000 people

Hindley-based Wigan and Leigh Hospice, which cares for people living with life-limiting or terminal illnesses, has sent out 1,955 letters to the next of kin of patients who died there between September 2019 and October 2022.

The next of kin, and other people who were close to the patient, have been invited to one of six remembrance services taking place at the hospice in February and March.

Hospice patients’ loved ones used to be invited to a remembrance service around six months after they died, but that stopped in early 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Clinical director Vicki McLoughlin said: “Before the pandemic we held remembrance evenings every few months when 100 to 150 people at a time would join us to remember the lives of loved ones.

“The sheer number of people who attended the Light for a Life service held at the hospice in December made it clear there is a need for people to come together when someone dies. Over the past few years so many people have not had that chance to grieve in the way they usually would or be with others in their grief.

“The number of letters and the people that number represents is incredibly sad. Although many of those people died over three years ago, we felt it important to give those people closest to them a chance to attend a remembrance service. They will be with others who have gone through a similar situation and they’ll be able to get support from hospice professionals.”