In our fast-paced, hectic lives, it’s easy to become consumed by our daily routines and obligations. But there are moments when we should pause, reflect, and remember the people who have touched our lives and left an indelible mark, even if they are no longer with us.
Celebration Day, an awareness campaign celebrated on 28 May , is an annual occasion dedicated to cherishing and celebrating the lives of those who have passed away. It is a day to honour loved ones, friends, and inspirational figures who have shaped our journey. On this national day of connection, we take a step back from our lives to commemorate and pay tribute to those who have left their footprint on our hearts.
Celebration Day provides an opportunity to reflect on the memories, experiences, and legacies left behind by those who have passed. It is a time to celebrate their accomplishments, the impact they had on our lives, and the love they shared with us. Whether they were family members, close friends, or even admired public figures, this day allows us to remember and cherish their presence.
We recognise the importance of keeping our loved one’s memories alive, and it is something PAPYRUS regularly encourages people to do after losing a loved one to suicide. There are a number of ways you can honour your loved one on Celebration Day, including setting up a tribute fund online in their name.
What is a tribute fund?
An increasingly popular way to celebrate our loved ones we have lost is by setting up a tribute fund. A tribute fund is a meaningful and enduring way to honour the memory of a loved one while supporting a cause or charity that held significance to them. It serves as a dedicated fund that allows family, friends, and others to make donations in honour of the person they have lost. The tribute fund can be set up through a charitable organisation or foundation, providing a platform to collect and manage contributions.
Tribute funds not only keep the memory of the loved one alive but also create a lasting impact by channelling support towards causes they deeply cared about, perpetuating their legacy and making a positive difference in the world.
One of the leading platforms for tribute funds is MuchLoved.
What is MuchLoved?
The MuchLoved platform is a dedicated online space that allows individuals to create tribute pages and memorial websites to honour and remember their loved ones. It provides a platform where people can share stories, photos, videos, and memories, creating a lasting tribute to those who have passed away.
The website offers a range of customisable features, enabling users to personalise their tribute pages and invite family and friends to contribute their own messages and memories. MuchLoved provides a comforting and supportive environment for individuals to connect, share their grief, and celebrate the lives of their loved ones.
By setting up a MuchLoved page, you can also use your tribute to collect and record donations in memory of your loved one and support your chosen charities and causes. By using your page to fundraise for PAPYRUS, you can help to support our life-saving services.
Every in-memory donation we receive makes a valuable difference to the work PAPYRUS does in supporting young people. Since we began working with MuchLoved, our first year saw a total donation sum of just over £9,000; already this year, our MuchLoved page is hitting over £100,000.
You can read more about how you can use MuchLoved to support PAPYRUS here.
How to set up a tribute fund
A tribute fund is quick and easy to set up and the website is very user-friendly. We have put together a simple step-by-step for you to follow below, however, if you need any help while setting up your page, you can always contact the fundraising team on fundraising@papyrus-uk.org.
- Go to the MuchLoved website: https://www.muchloved.com/
- Select the ‘Create a Tribute’ option at the top of the page.
- Fill in your details on the five pages which you will be presented with. This will include your personal details (including your email), and then details of the person the fund is in memory of. The questions which require an answer feature a red asterisk on the left-hand side next to the questions, however the other questions are optional.
- On the third page you will be asked about the privacy settings of the page. Here you can choose whether you would like the page to be public, meaning anyone can access it, or private. Private tributes are only accessible by friends and family that you explicitly invite in the Invitations Manager. You can change your choice at any time. On this page, you can also choose whether you would like visitors to be able to make donations to a charity or good cause of your choice. If you would like people to be able to donate to PAPYRUS in memory of your loved one, you should select the ‘yes’ option.
- After inserting any photos you want featured on the tribute fund, and inserting some further personal details about yourself, your page will be live and you will be provided with a link to share wherever you wish to.
Other ways to celebrate
- Make a dedication on PAPYRUS’s ‘A gift of hope’ page: Also launched by the MuchLoved platform, PAPYRUS has created a special ‘dedication’ page which provides those who have lost someone to suicide a special place to remember their loves ones and share memories and messages of support. This page can act as an alternative, and simpler method to a tribute page. Visit PAPYRUS’s page here.
- Organise a memorial gathering: Consider arranging a memorial gathering to bring together friends, family, and other individuals who were influenced by the life of the person you are celebrating. Sharing stories, anecdotes, and fond memories can be cathartic and healing, allowing everyone to celebrate the life and love that person brought into the world.
- Engage in meaningful activities: Engaging in activities that your loved one enjoyed or supporting causes they were passionate about can be a meaningful way to honour their memory. It could involve participating in a charity event, volunteering for a cause they supported, or simply engaging in activities they loved, such as hiking, painting, or cooking. By immersing ourselves in what brought them joy, we keep their spirit alive and honour their passions.
- Light a candle: Lighting a candle is a powerful symbol of remembrance. Take a moment on Celebration Day to light a candle in honour of your loved one. It can be done individually or collectively, reminding us of the light they brought into our lives and the lasting impact they have had.
Celebration Day is a special occasion to commemorate the lives of those we have lost. It encourages us to pause amidst our busy lives and reflect on the people who have shaped us, the love they shared, and the lessons they imparted. Whether through setting up a tribute feed on PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide’s MuchLoved page, organising a memorial gathering, engaging in meaningful activities, or lighting a candle, there are numerous ways to celebrate and honour those we have lost to suicide.
