A special early evening Service of Remembrance and Hope at Derby Cathedral has helped families quietly remember loved ones ahead of the Christmas celebrations.
Wathall’s has organised the memorial service since 2008 - inviting families who have lost loved ones during this and previous years.
They were joined by members of the Dandelions Bereavement Support groups as well as representatives from local churches, charities, hospitals and nursing homes.
The early evening inter-faith service included Christmas carols, readings and finished with the moving poem by a 13-year-old boy ‘My First Christmas in Heaven’.
Branch staff then served refreshments and families were invited to light a candle and hang a message of remembrance on a memory Christmas tree.
Managing Director Helen Wathall MBE is the fifth generation of her family to run the company. She explained: “Christmas can be an especially difficult time of year when the ‘empty chair’ at the table is particularly poignant – regardless of how far people are in their grief journey.
“The Celebration of Remembrance and Hope is therefore a welcome opportunity for people of all faiths, or no faith, to remember loved ones and draw on the calm positivity that runs through this service.”