Twilight Memories

Sue Shellard (right) with daughter, Becky.

Hospice Supporter, Sue Shellard, walks in tribute to friend.

Sue Shellard will be thinking of her dear friend, Julie Brindle, as she takes part in the Bury Hospice Twilight Memory Walk, next month.

Sue, her daughter, Becky, and her daughter-in-law, Maria, will be walking the six-mile course in Burrs Country Park, in memory of Julie, alongside Hannah, Julie’s daughter.

“We used to walk everywhere together; Julie was my walking buddy,” said Sue.

“We’d been friends for 33 years; we met at work and had our children at the same time.”

Julie sadly passed away in July. Prior to her passing, Julie had come to spend some time at Bury Hospice, following her cancer diagnosis.

At the time, Bury Hospice was new to Sue, who would come in regularly to visit Julie on the Inpatient Unit.

Sue said: “I think of how kind everybody at Bury Hospice was, and the facilities – Julie had a beautiful room and everything she needed there.”

“The hospice was amazing; they were so good with so many things.”

“I didn’t expect it, but being in the hospice was just like getting a big hug; it felt really good for Julie.”

Sue decided on doing the Twilight Memory Walk on her last visit to see Julie at the hospice.

She said: “I thought it would be a great idea because Julie was always the first person who would offer support.” 

“When I worked for Cancer Research, we did the ‘Walk for Life’ together, and when my mum had Pick’s disease, we would walk in support of Alzheimer’s charities. Julie would always be the person to say ‘I’ll come.”

“Now, I need to do the Twilight Memory Walk in Julie’s memory, and raise money for the hospice. Our girls are walking with me, so I can really go for it now – I’m ready.”

The Twilight Memory Walk is Sue’s first event with Bury Hospice, and she is glad that the scenic stroll is happening in Burrs Country Park, one of Julie’s favourite places.

“We were forever in the Lamppost (Café, Burrs), drinking coffee and eating naughty cakes,” said Sue.

“So, I’ll be strolling around where we used to do a lot of walking, along and up to Summerseat, and around – we’d walk for miles.”

“Yes, it’s nice that it’s there, at Burrs.”

Sue is going to embrace the day with Becky, Maria, and Hannah by her side, after what has been a very hard year.

She said: “I don’t think you’d ever meet a kinder more generous person than Julie. She worked in social care all her life and she supported so many people; so, to be able to celebrate her in this way, is a privilege – she was an amazing woman.”

Twilight Memory Walk, Saturday 7th September, Burrs Country Park, starts at 6.00pm (registration from 5.00pm.

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