Celebration Day

The Celebration Day today was really, really wonderful. As the culmination of this project, I don’t think it could have gone much better. The dolls all looked great set up with the projections; I wasn’t sure until everything was in place how they would look, but it was such an effective way to display the dolls and I think the patients at St. Christopher’s were happy too. We displayed work made throughout the project as well, and the total effect of the dolls and preparatory work together combined to express something really positive and exciting. I had also made a quilt to commemorate the occasion, with some patterned and some calico patches, and we put fabric pens by it so it could act instead of a comments book – by the end of the morning the calico patches were full of the most lovely comments, from students, patients and visitors. I was really happy that we had chosen to make an alternative to a conventional comments book (although I felt my quilting skills left something to be desired!) because the format far better reflected the project. Also, we donated the quilt to St. Christopher’s Hospice, so they can display it if they wish.

Looking back on the project, I feel incredibly proud of all of us; I think we have accomplished something that, as a group, we should all take pride in, and that we have all been changed in some way for the better by being a part of St. Christopher’s for a few weeks. The project has, at times, drawn on some powerful emotions, but I think that that has only added to the value of what we’ve achieved, and the things we have learnt from this project. When I think back on how nervous we were the first time we visited the hospice, and the first time we held a workshop there, compared with the confidence of the work we showed this morning, and how we have each formed a relationship with the group we’ve been working with, I can’t believe it’s only been five weeks. I definitely can’t believe that it’s over. I know that everyone in the group is sad for the project to be over. When I found out that I was going to be working on the St. Christopher’s project – I suppose nearly two months ago – I was really excited. As Eileen and I hugged and said our goodbyes, and she thanked me for what I’d done, for having sat and just chatted to her with Ashra for a morning, I felt overwhelmed. With happiness, with sadness, with any number of feelings. What we have done at the hospice has true meaning and value, of this I am sure.