St Michael's Hospice memory feathers on display at The Vyne

St Michael’s Hospice has collaborated with The Vyne to display the Summer Memories Meadow, made of metal feathers made by Hurstbourne Forge.

The feathers will be on display on the South Drive until July 7, before they are shown at the hospice’s Summer Memories event at Worting House on July 12.

Emma Fryer, from St Michael’s Hospice, said: “It’s been lovely having the feathers installed here, it’s a chance for people to see the feathers before they go to the Summer Memories event.

“We are very lucky, it’s lovely to bring it to such a well-known prestigious area like the Vyne so we can raise awareness.”

Natasha Haji, Anne Mitchell, Emma Fryer and Lara Toop from St Michael's Hospice and Kelly Joy from the National Trust at the Summer Memories Meadow (Image: National Trust)

Each feather, which can be engraved, is dedicated to a loved one that is missed, and is later returned to the donor.

Previous Summer Memory installations have featured forget-me-nots and butterflies.

Hollie Ryan, operations manager for The Vyne, said: “In moments of grief, nature can hold us in ways words cannot.

“These metal feathers offer a gentle moment of pause – a chance to reflect, remember, or simply be. Rural spaces can bring a sense of steadiness, and we hope visitors feel held by the natural beauty and tranquillity of the gardens as they encounter this installation.”

It is the first time the two charities have collaborated, with Kelly Joy, visitor experience member at the National Trust, noting it was a ‘nice interlink.’

Hospice volunteer Anne Mitchell at the Summer Memories Meadow (Image: National Trust)

Volunteer for St Michael’s Hospice, Anne Mitchell, is part of a family who are ‘big supporters’ of the hospice, and she plans to dedicate a feather this year.

She first connected to the hospice in 1994, when her dad was admitted. Her sister used the hospice the following year and, since then, her sister-in-law and her brother-in-law have also been cared for with the hospice’s support.

She said: “I think it’s lovely, anything that raises funds for the hospice is brilliant.

“It’s always been there for when we have needed care and support. There is always someone that you know that has had to use the services of the hospice. They are amazing, the care is wonderful.”

The hospice’s Summer Memories Event is taking place on July 12, with stalls, local artists, a chaplain service and moments of reflection.

Find out more here: www.stmichaelshospice.org.uk/support-us/fundraising/events/summer-memories

Find out more about The Vyne’s Summer Memories Meadow here: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/hampshire/the-vyne/events/7c57c20f-c95f-4db4-b32d-cc5f4fc4a972