Edinburgh Annual Sick Kids Memorial Service. 2004 – present. Edinburgh. Carol has worked collaboratively with the Chaplains, predominantly Rev. Cannon Dr. Carol Appplegath to produce this service. Carol writes, curates the space and co-leads the service.

  • 2006
  • 2011
  • 2018

Attendees

Attendees include all ages, from new babies, children, teenagers, parents, grandparents, other families members, friends of the bereaved and some hospital staff .

Location and Space

The auditorium at Bristo Square Chaplaincy Centre at the University of Edinburgh is the location. The auditorium is a large plain hall space that houses events for many, faiths and non. The large hall has a small sanctuary space off it, again plain and for use for all faiths and non. 

The plain space offers a flexibility that many other particularly ecclesial spaces do not. The liturgies have been designed particularly for auditorium at Bristo Square Chaplaincy Centre, thus you may have to adapt, particularly the visual elements of the liturgy to your own space.

Non Religious service

The liturgies have been designed to be inclusive of those of faith and no faith. They are advertised as non- religious services. They are lead by the Chaplain and Carol, and a team of volunteers. This is not to say they could not be used in Churches, the liturgies merely aim to be inclusive rather than exclusive, providing a ritual rooted in love to those who are grieving.

The service

The service is very simple lasting approximately 40 minutes, twenty minutes of which is a time of making – a simple symbolic activity to remember loved ones by that all ages can, and do, join in with. Participants might simply write a name or produce a highly decorated object (for example a boat, butterfly, flower) that will then be added to a central space before the names of those to be remembered are read out.