Festival blog

Festival of Light

The lives of many young people are touched by loss and bereavement and these young people often lack opportunities to remember and share memories of loved ones, held back by others' discomfort in knowing how to deal with issues of loss.

It is for this reason that Penicuik YMCA-YWCA are holding their Festival of Light, a creative and participative experience over two Friday afternoons in November (6 and 13 Nov) for young people of secondary school age who have experienced bereavement.

Over the two Friday afternoons young people will work with a community artist who is sensitive to bereavement issues to create paper lanterns which will be able to contain a candle. Whilst being engaged in a creative activity participants will have the opportunity to share and explore their feelings and memories in a supportive, sensitive environment.

On the early evening of the second Friday the group will go to a local pond in Penicuik and finish the event by holding a ceremony where the candles will be lit and dedicated to their loved ones and placed in the lanterns which will be set floating on the pond.