Each year Ffion celebrates her father’s life after he died when she was just two-years-old. Her flower, and those dedicated to the memory of others who have died have been planted at Cardiff Castle in an event arranged by City Hospice
Ffion Bullen aged 8 at the opening of the City Hospice Forever Flowers garden at Cardiff Castle(Image: Mark Lewis)
Every year a stunning garden of more than 1,000 crafted flowers are displayed at the grounds of Cardiff Castle for a special reason. Each Forever Flower is dedicated to a loved one who has lost their life, paying tribute to them as well as donating to City Hospice.
The Forever Flowers campaigned started in 2020, and one family that has been there from the very beginning have placed their metal daffodil at the castle for the fifth year.
In 2020, at the age of just three, Ffion and her mum Rebecca Bullen bought a flower in memory of Ffion’s father who died the previous year from cancer.
Ffion’s father Carl spent the last few months of his life in the care of City Hospice, helping him keep comfortable during his final moments.
Ffion and he father Carl who died of cancer in 2019 (Image: City Hospice)
Rebecca said: “City Hospice cared for Carl in the last couple of months of his illness in 2019. The nurses that visited us listened to both of our worries and provided Carl with medication and aids to help keep him comfortable.
“They provided compassion and support as Carl and I faced our fears together, and then again through another challenge: helping our young daughter to understand the loss of her dad.
“I was put in touch with the charity’s counselling team to discuss how to help Ffion, who was just 2 at the time, with advice on how to speak to her about her dad. It has been very comforting to have that support and know that the services that City Hospice offer are there for us both.”
Now aged eight, Ffion still receives support from the hospice regularly, seeing a worker named Sophie. Together, they do activities such as drawing, especially of leaves and falling leaves to help her let go of some memories.
Ffion remembers her dad(Image: Mark Lewis)
She said: “The falling leaves are memories I want to let go and the leaves still on the tree are feelings that I want to keep with me.”
Since Carl’s death, both Rebecca and Ffion have helped fundraise for the charity and buy a flower each year dedicated to Carl. Rebecca and Ffion visit the display at Cardiff Castle every year before taking home their flowers to ‘plant’ in a dedicated part of their garden.
The flowers help Ffion remember her father that she lost at such a young age.
Ffion said: “I like the designs of the flowers and all the details. At the Celebration of Life, I like all the songs the choir sings. The flowers and everything remind me of Daddy and help me remember him, especially when we take them home.”
The flowers at the castle(Image: Mark Lewis)
Daffodils were chosen as this years flowers as they symbolise hope, resilience and new beginnings.
Over a thousand yellow metal daffodils will be displayed within the grounds of Cardiff Castle from Saturday, August 2, to Sunday, August 10.
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