Reflections of Bolton Hospice Chief Executive, Dr (h.c.) Leigh Vallance, on the death of Her Majesty The Queen:

“It is with great sorrow that we have learned of the death of Her Majesty The Queen.

We should be used to ‘unprecedented’ things happening after the past couple of years, but this beaming, golden light of stability that has shone throughout our lives going out is quite a thing to contend with.

At Bolton Hospice, dealing with life and death, family and legacy, are part of every day. We are so fortunate to have a highly skilled, experienced and compassionate team that help families navigate illness and when the time comes - death, loss and grief. Our thoughts and condolences are with the Royal Family now as they face this difficult time together, with the world watching. For they have not just lost their Queen, but also their mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

So too are our thoughts with all of you who are feeling the loss of our beloved Queen, especially those of you who carry your own loss. As Lee Kern has said so eloquently: “Most of us carry a wound inside us from a grief. Often several. When someone like the Queen dies of course we don’t actually know her, but it’s someone we can collectively share a loss over whilst the embers of our personal losses are fanned, a rare gift when grief is often so lonely.”

On reflecting upon Her Majesty’s extraordinary 70 year reign today, on behalf of everyone at Bolton Hospice, I want to thank her. For her devotion to a life of service, her dedication to the people of the Commonwealth and her unwavering commitment to many, many charities and good causes. She will be sadly missed and leaves an incredible legacy that will inspire us for many years to come.

I’ll leave the final word about Her Majesty The Queen to Philip Larkin:

“In times when nothing stood

But worsened, or grew strange,

There was one constant good

She did not change”

Rest in Peace Your Majesty.”