Sunderland's landmarks to be lit yellow for Sunflower Day in June

Sunderland landmarks will be lit yellow. Pictures: Mick Naisbitt and Liam McCormick.

St Benedict’s Hospice in Ryhope has lost hundreds of thousands of pounds due to the cancellation of planned fundraising events in order to limit the spread of Covid-19.

The hospice is only part-funded by the NHS, so therefore relies heavily on fundraising to continue the specialist palliative care it provides, which it’s thought one in three people in the city, whether it’s themselves or a friend or family member, will be touched by at some point.

To help raise awareness, the hospice will be hosting its annual Sunflower Day on Friday, June 19, which will see a host of landmarks in the city lit yellow in support.

Keel Square is among the landmarks being lit yellow again. Picture: Mick Naisbitt.

For last year’s inaugural Sunflower Day, more than 100 businesses, organisations and schools donned yellow, landmarks were lit yellow, and a number of celebrities such as the cast of Calendar Girls the musical and Tim Healy posted messages of support.

This year, landmarks such as Keel Square, High Street West, Northern Spire Bridge, Penshaw Monument and Fulwell Mill will once again be lit yellow.

In addition, the hospice will be running Sunflower Day Live from 8am to 8pm via live broadcast on YouTube and Facebook. The live broadcast will feature a day of activity including a Question of Sport featuring local sports stars, a Q & A with Sunderland climber Alan Hinkes MBE, pilates with Sunderland-born Calendar Girl Tricia Stewart, live music, live classes and more.

The hospice is also encouraging people to wear yellow while working from home and to share online in virtual fundraising events. They are asking that people use the hashtag #WEARYellow to share their efforts.

Sunderland company Sweeney Miller were among the companies who wore yellow for last year's Sunflower Day

Anthony McDermott, head of marketing at St Benedict’s, said: “Sunflower Day is eagerly anticipated this year after the runaway success of last year’s event. We are so grateful to everyone across the region for their continued support and it’s important that through events like this, we share the story of what hospices do exactly and why they are so important to people in the local communities.

“We’d love people to get involved and hopefully by lighting the city up yellow we can help raise a smile through these trying times. Our teams

are continuing to work hard to provide specialist care to both service users and their families and we hope you’ll join us in saying thank you.”

Last year’s Sunflower Day raised £8,000 for the hospice, which helps support its services including a 14 bed in-patient unit, a day care service, a fully funded transport service, a lymphoedema clinic, the community services team, specialist palliative care teams, counselling services and more.

Northern Spire will be lit yellow. Picture: Liam McCormick.

Chairman Derek Moss said: “Our local patients and families need the support of St Benedict's Hospice now more than ever.

“We therefore need your help. A donation will enable our staff to continue to provide expert and outstanding care to patients when they need it most. Staff are there for patients through the day and night in the days, weeks and months ahead.”

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