Memory Elephants Memorial Gifts: How Rachel Brings Comfort Through Sewing
At Rowans Hospice Living Well Services, volunteer Rachel uses her passion for sewing to create our much-loved Memory Elephants memorial gifts. These are unique, handmade keepsakes crafted from the clothing of loved ones who have passed away. Each Memory Elephant is carefully made to bring comfort and preserve special memories for families.
Rachel’s Journey as a Living Well Services Volunteer
Rachel was initially introduced to the Living Well Centre by a friend, and became a volunteer Hospice Companion, supporting patients in their homes with day-to-day tasks, and being a familiar face for them to talk to.
When Rachel’s mum died, she felt she needed a change, so she introduced her passion for sewing to Rowans Hospice, and started leading a few of our creative groups, such as Memories Made from Fabric and Loose Ends.
Later on, the Living Well Services Nurses approached Rachel with a new bereavement project which she took on, and now specializes in creating our extremely special Memory Elephants memorial gifts.
The Memory Elephants are unique, soft memorial gifts, made using items of clothing that belonged to a person who has died.
They asked if I wanted to do it, I said yes, I’d give It a go and now… I think I’m on about Elephant number 87, so a lot of Elephants later and I am still here making them.
At Rowans Hospice, we understand that our Memory Elephants are a wonderful way to remember a loved one, using their personal items to create a memorable gift. When a family gets in touch with our Living Well Services, their chosen fabric will get sent to Rachel where she carefully creates each Elephant. Usually, most elephants are made of cotton, such as pyjamas, shirts or a blouse.
I get the bundle of clothes from the family, take it home and I really try to give a quick turnaround because different houses smell differently… I do live in a pet free and smoke free house, but I still feel like it’s precious and important that the clothes still smell the same.
We know how important it is for a lasting memory gift to be just the way each family would like, which is why the Memory Elephants are extremely unique and customizable to each family’s request, whether it’s pink ears, button eyes, or unusual fabric, each Elephant is handled with care and precision. When the Elephant is ready to go to their home, any leftover scraps of fabric are carefully put within the stuffing so that no memories are left behind.
One lady requested that the elephant had bigger ears and a longer trunk to match her husband’s facial features… so I used the normal pattern for the body, and then I used the pattern for the bigger ears, and she was absolutely over the moon.
Another family wanted the diamonds from the jumper to be the eyes, though as soon as you cut a jumper it will unravel, so I cut around the diamond, stitched it before I cut it then I hand sewed that onto the face. The lady was absolutely overwhelmed, and it worked… I will always try my hardest to get them exactly what they wanted.
Rachel doesn’t see the Elephants she creates go back to the person who requested them as it can be quite emotional, though she will often come across families she’s made Elephants for in the creative sessions that she leads, where people are able to freely talk and focus on something they enjoy.
How to request Handmade Memory Elephant
If you are interested in finding more about our handmade Memory Elephants, please visit our Memorial Gifts page. If you are interested in the variety of courses that we offer to Patients, Carers, or Bereaved individuals affected by a life-limiting illness, please visit our Living Well Centre website or contact our team directly.
Email: lwc@rowanshospice.co.uk
Telephone: 02392 248011
Volunteer with Rowans Hospice
If you are inspired by Rachel’s story as a Volunteer and would like to see what volunteer opportunities we have, please visit our Volunteer Website, or email our Volunteer Manager on volunteers@rowanshospice.co.uk.
