Thursday was a very special occasion for our Junior School choir, when they were invited to perform at the unveiling and dedication of a series of paintings at the Trinity Hospice Chapel.
Trinity Hospice is a well known care centre on the Fylde coast, and its Chapel in the main entrance is an equally familiar sight for those who have visited. It is a location that has been used by many over the years as a place of quiet thought and meditation, so it seems fitting that the Hospice have decided to invest in it, to mark the celebration of 25 years of caring on the Fylde.
A series of paintings were commissioned by artist Penny Warden, and they were unveiled to an invited audience of local clergy, generous benefactors and helpers at a Service of Dedication recently.
Medical Director, Dr Susan Salt, explained the reason for investing in the Chapel paintings. "Care is not only about medical care but also spiritual, so it is right that we look beyond just physical but also at spiritual needs and emotions, with a far more holistic approach."
The artist, Penny Warden, who is known nationally for her work said, "Images have a unique power to evolve and provoke emotions. They disturb the soul. They have the power to change and transform what we feel to show us a new way forward." The series of seven paintings entitled The Dance are designed to tell a story that does not involve words.
The paintings were unveiled and dedicated by the Very Reverend Christopher Armstrong, Dean of Blackburn to the accompaniment of the Junior Choir of King Edward and Queen Mary School, singing Lord of the Dance, which had been specially requested by the artist. Lower 6th pupil Tim Edmundson then played ‘La Morisque' on trombone as the congregation admired the paintings.
The music provided by our musicians certainly added to the ambiance of the occasion, and they in turn, were most impressed by the artwork.
For KEQMS Junior teacher Fran Thompson the Hospice is familiar territory, as she has worked as a volunteer at the Brian House Children's Hospice, during the holidays, for the last 10 years.
She commented, "It was really nice to hear the choir sing so well, and it was interesting to see how the children reacted to the paintings. They are certainly inspirational and I will certainly be able to use them as a visual aid when I sit here with some of the young children in the hospice."
There is no doubt that patients and visitors alike will be emotionally moved by these striking images that adorn the walls of the Chapel.
As Dr Susan Salt commented in her closing remarks, "This is a legacy of our generation, for those in the future to enjoy."
