When Anne’s mum passed away 6 years ago, Anne always knew she wanted to do something special with her wedding ring, she just didn’t know what. That was until she saw an article in the Lancashire Telegraph promoting an initiative called ‘Wendy’s Legacy’ run by Blackburn based business, Ainsworth Jewellers and thought “that’s it, now is the right time”.
Anne’s mum had initially been diagnosed with Breast Cancer and when it returned for the second time, sadly it was confirmed to have spread. Anne’s mum was at first treated at Clitheroe Hospital and then later at Blackburn Royal and it was whilst visiting her mum there, that Anne mislaid one of her tanzanite earrings gifted on her wedding day by her husband.
Anne explained “When mum was poorly I was agonising what to do with Mum's Wedding Ring as she never took it off, but one day when we went to visit her in Clitheroe Hospital, the staff told me that she had spent all day trying to shake her ring off her finger. They gave me her ring for safe keeping, and that made my decision that I would keep Mum's ring when she passed away”.
Anne went on to say “After mum passed away, my husband bought me some tanzanite stones which included one in a heart shape and he said ‘we’ll get something sorted to make up for your lost earring’. I'd always wanted to do something with Mums wedding ring rather than it just be sat in a draw, when I saw the advert and read about Wendy's Legacy, I knew that this was the perfect opportunity for me to combine both the tanzanite and Mum's ring to make something really special.' I'd always wanted Mum to spend her last couple of weeks in East Lancashire Hospice, however in the end she was too poorly to be transferred there. For this reason, a big part of commissioning Ainsworth Jewellers to work on some pieces for me was about supporting both my local hospice and a local business.
After a personal consultation with business owners Philip Ainsworth and Helen Dimmick, Anne shared a picture she really liked with them and went on to commission both a ring and an anklet.
The design of the ring brought together the tanzanite heart, Anne’s Mum's wedding ring, and 3 stones that were taken from my Anne’s Grandmother’s engagement ring, whilst the anklet features a gold feather, also made from Anne’s Mum's wedding ring, and the one remaining tanzanite earring. Anne opted for a second white gold feather on the anklet to symbolise herself. Feathers were particularly significant to Anne as she recalls there being many 'feather moments' around the time that her mum was very poorly, at the time of her passing and since.
Anne could not be more delighted with the finished pieces and says of the results “I will wear the ring all the time and the anklet during the summer months. I would like to say a huge thank you to Philip and Helen at Ainsworth Jewellers for welcoming me and being so kind and thoughtful in their approach to ensure they understood exactly what I wanted and make sure everything was just right. They have created two beautiful pieces of jewellery that are so very special to me and will serve of lasting memories of my mum”.
Helen Dimick of Ainsworth Jewellers commented “It was an honour for us to safeguard, respect and remodel Anne’s jewellery in memory and honour of her beloved Mum. Wendy’s legacy not only means we can repair or repurpose treasured jewellery, but we meet some very special people in the process, it was a privilege to know and support Anne”.
If you or anyone you know are looking to repair or remodel any inherited jewellery and would like to support East Lancashire Hospice please visit www.eastlancashorehopsice.org.uk/wendy’s-legacyor alternatively pop into Ainsworth Jewellers at 57 – 59 Darwen Street, Blackburn, BB2 2BW or call them on 01254 59367.
