A community-made sunflower cascade, knitted and crocheted by Highland Hospice supporters during lockdown, will be displayed in Inverness Museum in the lead up to its Health, Wealth and Happiness exhibition which launches in April 2022.
The cascade is to be on display in the museum’s community gallery in the run-up to the exhibition, alongside other artworks created by groups and charities from across the Highlands during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Highland Hospice’s Head of Fundraising Andrew Leaver said, “We invited people to create these beautiful sunflowers in May 2020 with the aim of creating a cascade to mark our Wear Yellow Day in May 2021. Over the year, the response was completely overwhelming, with our social media post being shared thousands of times and donations sent from around the world.
“More than just being an art project, this was an incredible community project, and we were astonished by the extent to which it captured people’s hearts. We received many more flowers than anticipated, which resulted in the creation of two cascades instead of one.
“Having one of these creations displayed in Inverness Museum in the build-up to this important story-telling exhibition is just wonderful, and we are grateful to our supporters for making the project such a positive story to share from the pandemic.”
Health, Wealth and Happiness will explore the history of healthcare in the Highlands, and the Museum is appealing for donations of healthcare items, images, and information. Particularly invited are examples of people’s experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic, aiming to give future generations an insight into life across the region at this time.
Inverness Museum Assistant Joe Setch said: “The sunflower cascades created for the Hospice are a perfect example of the Highland community coming together to do something positive in appreciation of an important healthcare provider, during lockdown.
“Our experiences over the past year and a half have shown us the importance of health and its ability to affect every aspect of our lives. It is our hope that the donations we receive will, like the cascade, capture the essence of what health and wellbeing means to Highlanders today
“We urge the public to donate any items they feel may be relevant to our exhibition. This could be a poster to thank essential workers during the pandemic, an object that was carried whilst working in a hospital, an uplifting letter from a friend, or a piece of equipment designed to improve quality of life.
“Donations can relate to any aspect of mental or physical health, from occupations and treatment to lifestyle and relationships. They don’t have to be old, valuable, or even unique – we are simply looking for items that tell a story about healthcare in the Highlands.”
For further information about donations or Inverness Museum’s Health, Wealth and Happiness project, click here, or contact Joe Setch.
