A NEW appeal aimed to raise vital funds for Barnsley Hospice to continue delivering its life-changing work is set to launch with a ‘stunning’ art installation later this year.
The Dragonfly Appeal gives members of the public the chance to order a unique, handcrafted steel dragonfly ornament to keep forever after they have been on display at Cannon Hall in Barnsley.( The art installation, named ‘Wings of Memory’, will run from July 31 to August 20 and will see Cannon Hall’s walled gardens transformed into a space of reflection and remembrance, with funds raised supporting the hospice’s vital services.
The steel dragonflies have been individually handcrafted by local sculptor and metalworker George Fell.
The campaign is particularly close to the heart of Mark Williams, a volunteer at Barnsley Hospice, whose wife Zena spent her last few days in the care of Barnsley Hospice.
Mark said: “It means a lot this campaign - it’s very poignant and it touches the heartstrings.
“My wife and I liked dragonflies and the fact that she had her last few days at the hospice is quite poignant that these dragonflies will help provide funding for the hospice.( “The fact it’s going to be at Cannon Hall will have a big impact on me.
“My wife and I loved going to Cannon Hall for walks together, particularly the walled garden.
“We used to sit in there quite a lot.
“To have a dragonfly in the spot where we used to sit and watch the world go by is wonderful.( “It’s great that it’ll be raising funds for the hospice.
“It’s a really good thing and I would imagine a lot of people will associate with dragonflies and Cannon Hall.”( The care and support provided to Mark and his family left a lasting impression - prompting him to volunteer at the hospice.( Mark added: “Zena passed away in June 2024 and that’s the reason I ended up on board as a volunteer gardener at the hospice.
“It means a lot to me to be able to give something back to the hospice as well as being able to work.
“It’s had a big impact on me and I’ve talked it through with my family and they think it’s fantastic.
“It means a lot to all of the family.( “I’ll definitely be buying one of these lovely dragonflies in memory of Zena.
“I’ve got so many happy memories at Cannon Hall, even when she got too poorly to be able to walk.
“I took her there in a wheelchair and pushed her around the gardens.
“I remember her saying ‘You’ll never be able to push me up here to the walled garden’ but we did it and I have happy memories of us together.”( The hospice is a charity which must raise two-thirds of its income on average every year, relying heavily on donations and the generosity of the public.( “As a family we were so thankful that the hospice was here to provide that last bit of care,” added Mark.
“She was only there for four days but those four days were dignified and we were all so well looked after.
“It meant so much that we came here, I can’t say they are happy memories but nice memories that she was being looked after and me and my daughters.
“We stopped here 24-7 when my wife was in.( “When the nurses were taking care of Zena, I was out in the gardens at the hospice with my daughters and I said ‘It’d lovely to be able to do something here and, lo and behold, it just so happened that, not long after Zena passed away, my daughter sent me an advert that was asking for volunteers to join the hospice gardening team.
“It was perfect timing really and like it was meant to be.”(
THE Dragonfly Appeal is a ‘poignant and meaningful’ campaign aimed to support the hospice and the people it cares for in years to come, organisers say.
After the installation finishes on Thursday August 20, those who have ordered a dragonfly will be able to collect it from either Cannon Hall between August 21 and 23 t or from Barnsley Hospice from August 24 onwards.
The dragonflies are available to order for a minimum suggested donation of £49 per dragonfly and can be ordered from the hospice website at https://www.barnsleyhospice.org/dragonfly or by calling the hospice on 244244.
Laura Lawton, the hospice’s individual giving manager, said: “We’re really excited to see this beautiful installation at a place that means so much to so many of our staff, patients, volunteers and supporters.
“Our Dragonfly Appeal is a very poignant and meaningful campaign, as dragonflies are often seen as symbols of reassurance and a reminder that the people we love are never far away.
“It’s very fitting that each dragonfly is unique, just like the memories they will be representing.
“It will be wonderful to see so many visitors explore the installation, celebrate memories and take a moment to reflect.
“As we need to raise roughly two-thirds of our income every year at the hospice, ordering a dragonfly is a great way to help fund the specialist palliative care we provide.”(
