Hospice unveils Tree of Life

The three metre fundraising artwork in the charity’s gardens can hold 290 leaves and bark sections engraved with dedications costing from £100 to £3,000.

The tree, which took 200 hours to weld, has already brought in £20,000 and dignitaries and families attended a ceremony marking the official opening.

Sandra Robinson bought a £3,000 bark section in memory of husband Chas, who died in 2014 after a 17-day stay at the hospice.

She said: “The tree is a quiet place to come and contemplate. Knowing Chas’s name is here comforts me greatly, as does the knowledge that keeping his memory alive is helping the hospice to care for other families at their most distressing time.”

Sculptor Steve Mehdi, who is also behind the Yorkshire Man of Steel project, said: “It has been a privilege and an honour to be involved.

“There had long been an ambition to create a memory tree in the hospice garden, but costs had stopped it from happening.

“I created the design, then rang all the partners supporting the Yorkshire Man of Steel project. To my great pride they instantly offered their support.

“The tree stands here today because people have pulled together to do something truly special.”

Rotherham Deputy Mayor, Chris Middleton, and Lord Lieutenant of South Yorkshire, Andrew Coombe, cut the ribbon at the ceremony last Thursday.

Hospice chief executive Chris Duff said: “This tree reminds me just how much the hospice is cherished by so many people.

“Its journey from idea to reality has made us many new friends along the way and we thank them all greatly, from the families who have made donations to the companies who helped to create it and transport it here.”

The tree was made from steel donated by Outokumpu, which will supply leaves and bark for two years, and built by Newburgh Precision Engineering.

Maher Ltd provided the frame, JF Finnegan built the foundations with help from Peter Brett Associates, Mark Smithson transported the tree and TPA Portable Roadways and PP Engineering lifted the three tonne sculpture into place.

It will glow at night thanks to ASD Lighting and there was also help from the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, We are Branding and Performance Engineered Solutions. Pryor Marketing has engraved the leaves and the bark.

“We all could help, so we did,” said Newburgh managing director Vince Middleton.

“We all felt privileged to be involved in a project which is so creative and which will do a great deal of good for many years to come.”