WORCESTER'S first 'celebration garden' continues to be a source of blossoming interest in the city while helping grow vital hospice funds.

The 'stunning sea of forget-me-nots' in aid of St Richard's Hospice has already drawn visitors to St Andrew's Spire in Worcester but more donations would help the hospice reach its target funding level.

Already more than 860 of the 1,000 handmade forget-me-nots have been snapped up by supporters helping to create the garden around the base of the spire.

People are being encouraged to secure their own flower and celebrate someone or something special with one of the beautiful forget-me-not clusters in the display, which they can later take home as a keepsake or a gift.

The flowers were installed by volunteers on Saturday, August 13 and will be on display until August 29 as one of the visual highlights of the Worcester Festival.

Contributions to help create this one off installation will help fund St Richard’s care of patients and families in Worcestershire.

Fundraising Director Tricia Cavell said: “The flowers look stunning and we’ve had so many people tell us how much they enjoy seeing them here in the heart of Worcester. The garden is also a wonderful place to stop and reflect, celebrate or remember someone special.

“Lots of people have asked us about the risk attached to the flowers being in a public space but we hope that people will reflect that the majority of the flowers are in memory of people. We are trusting our community to respect the Celebration Garden.”

Sharon Randell said on Facebook: “It’s so lovely and very special for us as a family as it would have been my husband’s 61st birthday today and he passed away so peacefully in St Richard’s last October.

"We were able to sponsor some forget me nots in Ivor’s name to commemorate his birthday today.”

Janet Davies said: “Thanks to St Richard’s for a lovely way to raise money for the hospice.

"You have given so much help and support in a time when we needed it and for the care you gave my husband and our family and sitting with us in the night during his last week.

"He had wanted to be at home with his family and you made that possible. Keep up the good work.”

St Richard’s is hoping that sponsorship of the flowers will raise around £40,000 for hospice care in Worcestershire.

Donors will be invited to pick a flower from the garden on Bank Holiday Monday, August 29, collect from the hospice or via post after the installation is dismantled.

To secure a forget-me-not please visit www.strichards.org.uk/celebration-garden or call the Fundraising Department on 01905 763963.

The Celebration Garden is kindly sponsored by Open GI.

St Richard’s Hospice provides free specialist palliative care for patients living with life-limiting illnesses and supports their families.

Each year the hospice team supports over 2,600 patients and family members in Worcestershire with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.