Burnley schoolgirl who raised funds for Pendleside Hospice in memory of her grandad calls on people to support Sunflower Appeal 2022

Seven-year-old Libby Couch, her gran Pat and family, made the plea 12 months after raising £425 for last year’s appeal in memory of her grandad and Pat’s husband Malcolm.

Libby raised the money by selling sunflower seeds to family and friends and organising a competition to see who could grow the tallest.

Her measuring stick was a life-size cut-out of her grandad and the winning sunflower was 8ft tall.

The Sunflower Memory Appeal invites people to celebrate the life of a loved one by dedicating a sunflower plaque in the hospice’s gardens at Reedley.

The name of the loved one – or loved ones – will be handwritten on the plaque and displayed throughout the summer.

Pat, who had been married to Malcolm for 42 years, said: “The staff at Pendleside were brilliant. The care and support they gave Malcolm and the family was unforgettable and something we hold dear in our hearts to this day.”

Sammi Graham, head of events and fundraising officer, said: “The gardens of Pendleside Hospice will be blooming again this June with hundreds of sunflower plaques, dedicated to your loved ones.

“Each sunflower plaque will have the name of your loved one handwritten on, it will then be planted in the hospice grounds to bloom all throughout June, which is traditionally Hospice Sunflower Month.

“The bright and cheerful sunflowers will enhance the hospice gardens and each one is a fitting tribute and celebration of the life of someone special.”

To acknowledge each donation a sunflower card will be sent out in the post along with a voucher in exchange of an enamel sunflower pin badge, if requested.

The annual Celebration of Life service returns following the lifting of Covid restrictions and will be held in the hospice gardens on Saturday, May 28, at 2pm. Various stalls and refreshments will be open from 1pm.

Last year the hospice’s gardens ‘bloomed’ with over 1,280 sunflower plaques and raised more than £15,000, towards patient care at the hospice.

Burnley FC season ticket holder Malcolm, who died aged 64 in 2019, was a print manager at Michael Duerden’s in Burnley and was a member at Briercliffe WMC.

He left two children Lyndsay and Aiden, now 42 and 39, and two grandchildren Harrison, now 13, and Libby.

Malcolm, who was suffering from cancer, was cared for at Pendleside for 12 days before requesting to return home where he died.

Donations at Malcolm’s funeral alone totalled over £1,300 and two female family friends took part in a sponsored head shave while his grandchildren raised more £200 taking part in Pendleside’s Little Heroes Walk.

Later, Malcolm’s daughter-in-law Laura raised £1,500 by helping organise a Christmas wreath making event at the Craven Heifer pub.

If you would like to dedicate a sunflower plaque fill in the form at www.pendleside.org.uk/sunflower-memories-appeal-2022 or telephone the fundraising team on 01282 440120.

The Pendleside Sunflower Memory Appeal 2022 is sponsored by Alderson and Horan Funeral Services, Burnley.