Festival 2023
The To Absent Friends festival took place across Scotland from 1-7 November 2023.
It was an opportunity to remember, to tell stories, to celebrate and to reminisce about people who have died but remain important to us.
Information about some of the events that took place is below.
Celebrating Memories
Organised by St Mary's for All in partnership with Arietta Choir
Sunday, 5th November 2023, 2-4pm
St Mary's for All Centre, Auchingramont Road, Hamilton ML3 6JP
This event is open to the public
"Celebrating Memories" is a partnership between St Mary's For All Centre and Arietta Choir in Hamilton offering an afternoon of joyous music and memories - taking inspiration from and celebrating absent friends in our community through their love of music.
Our friends at Arietta Choir will perform a selection of reflective and inspiring music and after the performance we will hold a small refreshment event to share feelings, encourage our community to make conversation flow around memories linked to music and feel the emotions linked to grief.
Attendance is free, but you must email info@stmarysforall.co.uk to book your place.
Illustration credit: St Mary's for All
A Musical Toast to Absent Friends
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Organised by Houston and Killellan Kirk
1st November 2023
Houston and Killellan Kirk
Houston and Killellan Kirk will be hosting “A Musical Toast to Absent Friends” for the third year running.
The event will bring together people from the local area who have lost loved ones for an evening of poetry, reflective and uplifting music, a light supper, and the company of other people.
The event will be a time where people who have shared the experience of bereavement can come together, share stories, or even just take some time to reflect and remember those they have lost, and raise a glass to their memory.
We were fortunate enough to hold a similar event in 2021 and 2022, and It is a great privilege to be hosting another event this year with the support of a Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief grant.
This event is not open to the public, only to the community by invitation.
Illustration credit: Houston and Killellan Kirk
The Light of a Distant Star
Organised by RAMH Acumen
RAMH Acumen are hosting an event inspired by this quote:
"The light of a distant star continues to shine brightly, long after the star itself has gone."
We will hold an event open to service users, staff, volunteers and local community members.
Participants will be invited to join a session , led by a creative artist, where in the making of origami star lanterns they will be able to reflect on their memories of their loved ones, to talk and share if they wish, to hold space for celebration of the lives of those they have lost. The lanterns will be decorated, ‘Remembering……’
There will be an opportunity for participants to contribute prose and poetry as the lanterns are lit, their own work or pieces that have a particular meaning or connection to the person they have created the lantern to remember.
The lanterns will be taken home by participants, along with printed postcards with the above quote.
Photo credit: RAMH Acumen
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