Over the past six
years, we have experienced the deaths of several of our clients.
Each time, we have been greatly saddened and have felt the loss
throughout our community. This year we were devastated by
the news of the death of Neil Gudgeon - Neil was a regular visitor
to St. Anne's House, and has also contributed to EDGE's magazine. We
were very fond of Neil, he sometimes brought his guitar and strummed
away happily in the drop-in centre. We have particularly good
memories of his livening up a Christmas lunch with seasonal tunes.
He had an open, friendly face and an endearing manner towards us
all. It was very moving to see so many familiar faces at
his funeral. We had moved the Drop-In lunch time forward an hour to
give people time to walk to the church. It's quite a distance but
many made it in time. I sat in Church surrounded by many of our
younger clients, it was a moving and very warm experience amidst the
sorrow, and God felt very close indeed. The tears of the young for
one of their own generation are always particularly poignant and a
tremendous witness to the love in our world. Neil will be
sadly missed by many people. All of us at St. Anne's house extend
our deepest sympathies and prayers to his family. We
thank God for Neil's life, which although short, left a good imprint
on us all. |
We
regret to share the news of Neil's death. In March of this year
things got to much for him and he ended his life. He was only 25.
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