Firefly Appeal 2024

Celebrate the life of a loved one

Here in the grounds of Winsley House, we are incredibly lucky to be able to offer a unique space for reflection and remembrance in our Firefly Woods, especially during bereavement. This space, created by world-renowned artist, Bruce Munro, contains the most stunning constellation of beautiful twinkling lights; amongst the trees our fireflies continually glow. Each light representing the life of someone special, shining in their memory.

Our Firefly Woods are such a special place for so many that we now have a dedicated group of volunteers who are caring for the area by hand, to preserve the space around each individual Firefly, providing the bespoke care and attention that the space deserves.

What's involved in dedicating a light on a Firefly?

You will own a Firefly light for one year in our Firefly Woods

Dedicate a light on a Firefly for one year, with a donation to help support the work that we do. Dedicating a light is not only a celebration of the life of a loved one, but your donation also means that Dorothy House can continue to be there for patients and their families, now and into the future.

Once you have dedicated your light, you will receive your personal dedication card, and a detailed map of the Firefly Woods showing you where your special light is located.

Join us at a Firefly Celebration Evening at the Hospice

If you decide to join our Firefly community, you will be invited to come along to a Firefly Celebration Evening on 19 or 21 September here at the Hospice; an opportunity to come together and experience the Fireflies alongside others who have dedicated a light in memory of a loved one.

However, you do not need to wait for the event to visit; our Firefly Woods are open from dusk until dawn and can be viewed at any time on our website via our live webcam.

Your dedication and donation helps us to help others in need

We are as reliant as ever on the financial support of our community to deliver the care and support that patients and their families deserve. To put this into context, for every £1 we receive in government funding we need to raise a further £4 to continue to provide our care.

Your dedication is not only a wonderful symbol of remembrance, but you are also helping us to provide the care that enables people to feel listened to and supported.

Text graphic which reads "bereavement support services"

Supporting families and patients

Our bereavement support team focus on supporting people out in the community and here at Winsley House. Our dedicated staff and volunteers work with patients and their families before and after the death of a loved one. As with all of our care we wish we could do more. There is no timeframe with grief, which is why we are so pleased that as a Hospice we are able to offer spaces like our Firefly Woods.

Sue, Mum to Jo

“She was such a big part of me. And I miss her every second of every minute of every hour of every day. And I just feel that the Firefly Woods is where she is.”

Jo, Mum to Benj

“I think the giving back is the thing that helps us go forward. For me it keeps his name alive. I can use his name freely, I can talk about him. I don’t ever want his name to not be mentioned. I also want his memory to be honoured.”

Sue, daughter of Stella

“I would come at 4am with the fox and the deer to scream and cry, or just to walk. It’s beautiful. There’s something very special about it here. I come here any time I can to be close to mum.”

Rachael, daughter of Mike

“We lost our dad in 2008 and he wanted his ashes to be scattered in Scotland. We can’t regularly go to where his ashes are and it was hard not to have that place to reflect and remember him. So my sister and I sponsored a Firefly in Dad’s memory. I don’t think I really grieved properly for my dad until we sponsored the Firefly last year. It isn’t a sad place; it’s beautiful and feels hopeful and positive.”

Jo, mother of Rick

“I lost my son 16 years ago when he was 19. I wanted something tangible to take my grandchildren to that would represent Uncle Rick in a positive way. His Firefly overlooks the valley with the trains passing by. It’s just perfect, it’s almost like he chose it himself. Sponsoring a Firefly was a way for me to say thank you to Dorothy House for their support and gave us a place to be near Rick.”

Victor, husband of Anne

“My late wife Anne was cremated, so there was no funeral as such. We wanted a point of focus as a family to remember her by. We have a wonderful photo of Anne at a fundraising evening in the grounds while she was an inpatient at Dorothy House; it was dark and the Fireflies were illuminated. After she died, we thought what a wonderful tribute it would be to sponsor a Firefly in her memory. We didn’t realise at the time how much it would come to mean to us. It’s a very special place; it’s unique. It’s just a fantastic place for people to go with their memories.”

A royal dedication

We were delighted that Princess Anne came to open the Firefly Woods to the community last year and visited a Firefly which was dedicated in memory of her late parents, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, which is nestled in our Bluebell Woods.

Her Royal Highness also took a guided tour around the Winsley gardens and Day Patient Unit to meet with Dorothy House patients and families, volunteers and staff.

When you dedicate a light on a Firefly in our Firefly Appeal, this not only provides a space for reflection and solace for both patients and family members, it also helps us raise these much-needed funds.

Dedicate a light today and donate to support families and patients

could fund a 1:1 session

of specialist counselling, helping patients, families, carers and children to cope with the emotional and psychological impact of illness, dying and death.

could fund an expert counsellor

to run a support group session for young adults with a life-limiting illness, helping them feel less alone.

could fund half a day

of specialist training, to equip volunteers to support our community through bereavement.

Firefly FAQs

General

Who is Bruce Munro and what are the Fireflies?

Local artist Bruce Munro is an award-winning artist who creates beautiful, immersive, light-based art installations all across the world. In 2021 Bruce created Firefly Woods for Dorothy House in the grounds of Winsley House, a mindful way of remembering a loved one and supporting our work. We are so thankful to Bruce for sharing his art with us and creating a space for our community to celebrate life.

What am I dedicating?

Each dedication is a light on a Firefly. There are 24 lights on each Firefly and there are currently 800 Fireflies.

We offer our community the chance to dedicate a light on a Firefly for one year, in celebration of a loved one.

When I have dedicated a light, what should I expect?

Once you have dedicated a light you will receive your thank you letter with a map of the Firefly Woods, as well as your personal dedication card that will have your Firefly light location on it.

When can I visit my Firefly light?

You are welcome to visit your Firefly light anytime from the point of dedication, from dawn to dusk. We ask that you remain respectful of the patients and staff as you visit the grounds.

Am I allowed to bring other loved ones to visit the firefly?

Yes, you absolutely can. We welcome you here at Winsley House.

Can you move around the fireflies?

Yes, you will be able to walk through the woods and view all of our wonderful Fireflies. There are clear paths through the woodland area, we do ask that you stick to the path where possible please. There are cables that can get damaged if you accidentally step on them.

Can I touch the fireflies?

We respectfully ask you not to touch the Fireflies, they are a delicate art display.

Can I leave anything with my light?

We understand that this is a lovely thought, but we ask that you do not leave anything behind with your Firefly light. If you would like to discuss this further pleased do not hesitate to get in touch with our fundraising team.

Is there a minimum amount needed to dedicate a light?

No, there is no minimum donation amount to dedicate a light. We would like everyone to have the opportunity to dedicate a light and enjoy the Firefly Woods. Any donation is so welcome and very gratefully received.

Where does the money go?

All money raised through the Firefly Appeal will go directly to Dorothy House to help us provide more patient and family care to our community.

Digital

How do I access the webcam?

You can access the webcam by searching ‘Firefly livestream’ on the homepage of our website.

I understand that the webcam is running 24 hours a day, will this store any data?

Please be assured that although the webcam captures a live feed, this is not recorded and no data is stored from the feed. You can visit the Firefly Woods without passing through the webcam feed, and this is clearly signposted in the section of the woods where it is operating. You can find out more about this via our privacy statement here.

Do I need to log in to anything to access the webcam?

No, this will be available on our website for you to use as and when you wish.

Firefly Celebration Evenings (Celebration of Life Events)

I would like to come one of the events – how do I book a ticket?

Our events are free of charge, but we do need to know who is attending so we are asking you to book through Eventbrite. You can follow this link, but you will also receive these details once you have dedicated your light on a Firefly in our Firefly Appeal 2024.

When are the Firefly Celebration Evenings?

Each year we host our Celebration of Life Events, and we would be delighted for you to join us. This year we will be running two events in the early evenings of 19 and 21 September. You can take time to visit your Firefly light, to reflect and celebrate the life of your loved one.

What can I expect from the event?

The event will be intimate and peaceful where we will have guest speakers and a harpist. You will have time to visit your Firefly light and take time to celebrate and remember your loved one in a safe and welcoming environment.

When do the events start and end?

The events will start at 6.30pm and end at 8:30pm. We’re very much looking forward to welcoming you to Firefly Woods for these special evening celebrations.

Are there any access issues I need to know about?

All of our event details can be found on our Eventbrite ticket page. If you have any concerns or special requirements, please do let us know by calling the fundraising team on 01225 721480

I have a question that is not covered here – who do I contact?

If you have any further questions, we are so happy to help – please email our Supporter Care Team on supportercareteam@dorothyhouse-hospice.org.uk or phone 01225721480