Well that was a busy and emotionally draining week for so many reasons.

And one of the reasons was that we commemorated the death of a member of staff. Her name was Lorraine and she worked at the Trust for 13 years. She died suddenly at home and the shock to her family was huge.

But alongside was the shock to the ward she worked on. So in the afternoon, to honour her passing, the funeral hearse brought her up to the front entrance of the hospital where staff gathered. As she drew up there was spontaneous applause and the family were presented with a floral tribute from her friends which was placed in the hearse with her.

Someone released a balloon and as it sailed into the sky there was applause again. Speaking with her family you could feel something of the grief and shock they were going through and as the hearse drove away the crowd petered out and went back to their duties. It was a sombre moment.

But some of us were not done yet. The group of staff who worked with her met together in the garden behind the education centre. It wasn’t so much a service as a group of people in shared sadness at their loss but also thankful for having time with Lorraine.

It was a time to recognise the impact she had on her work family. There were some laughs and some tears and some funny stories as well. This wasn’t just a member of staff, this was someone who was part of their lives.

It seems to me these bonds are the things which make us human; which give us purpose and satisfaction; and which, when someone is taken from us by death, we miss but will also treasure. So today I think of the staff on Lorraine’s ward. Of course, they will be busy doing their day job. But from time to time they will see or hear something which will bring back her memory in a real way. When that happens, they will know the impact one life can have on us all.