The display features 680 golden blooms, each representing how many people it is caring for in the community at any one time.

A symbol of remembrance, celebration and community, the flowers have been sponsored by supporters and will form a reflective centrepiece at the charity’s Spring Stroll event.

Emma Hope, social value lead at ODS, one of the sponsors helping to fund and assemble the display, said: “At ODS, we’re dedicated to making Oxford the best it can be, and Sobell House plays a vital role at the heart of our community.

“The Forever Flowers event is a meaningful opportunity for people to reflect and remember, and we’re proud that our volunteers are supporting it.

“Sobell House continues to push the boundaries of what compassionate, high-quality palliative care can look like, and we’re pleased to support them as a sponsor so they can continue to do what they do best.”

The display will be open throughout the weekend, as Sobell House marks its 50th anniversary.

It will feature prominently during the Spring Stroll on Sunday, May 10, offering a moment of reflection along the walking route.

The event starts at 10am and includes two fully accessible routes of either 2.5 or four miles.

Dogs on leads are welcome, and parking is free.

Sobell House has provided end-of-life care since 1976, supporting people in their homes, hospitals, and at its inpatient unit.

The charity raises around £4 million annually.

Darke & Taylor also co-sponsored the installation.

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, which has a puppy training hub in South Oxfordshire, shared the call during Deaf Awareness Week (4–10 May).

The charity highlighted ongoing challenges faced by deaf individuals, despite increasing awareness of hearing loss.

David Robson, a spokesperson for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, said: “Hearing dogs provide life-changing support for deaf people, alerting them to important and often life-saving sounds, as well as helping them feel more independent and more connected.

“But inclusion goes beyond the work of our dogs – it’s about how we all communicate and interact every day.

“Small changes in behaviour can make a huge difference.”

To mark Deaf Awareness Week, the charity has published ten practical tips for communicating with deaf people.

The advice includes making sure you have someone’s attention before speaking, facing them so they can lipread, and avoiding covering your mouth or speaking while eating.

Other suggestions include speaking clearly without exaggerating, using written communication if needed, and learning basic British Sign Language (BSL).

Maxine Clare, who was partnered with her hearing dog Walter in 2016, described the isolation that can come with hearing loss.

Ms Clare said: “When my own hearing loss deteriorated, I discovered just how isolating deafness can be.

“It wasn’t just about missing sounds; it was missing that connection with people.

“If I didn’t respond, people assumed I was ignoring them.

“I’ve been pushed, dragged, screamed at, and sworn at – just because I didn’t hear people asking me to move.

“These moments are what make me so passionate about deaf awareness.

“Walter wears a burgundy jacket that signals he’s a hearing dog.

“That jacket does more than grant access; it sparks conversations and breaks down barriers.

“If I could leave you with one thought it would be that next time, if someone doesn’t respond when you’re talking to them, instead of feeling affronted, embarrassed, or frustrated, maybe your first thought should be, ‘perhaps they’re deaf.’”

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People trains dogs to alert deaf people to vital sounds, such as smoke alarms, doorbells and even baby monitors.

The charity has developed a practical guide called ‘It Matters’, which offers simple advice to help people communicate more effectively and confidently with deaf people.

The guide reinforces the message that everyone deserves to feel included and that small actions can make a big difference.

It can be downloaded at www.hearingdogs.org.uk/how-you-can-help/communication-guide.

The two pictures here are among hundreds that the Oxford Mail has published of happy occasions at the Churchill Hospital.

The one above was taken in 1988 when a wildlife garden was opened in the hospital grounds to attract birds and delight patients.

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It was one of six similar gardens created in the Headington hospital grounds at that time.

The work was carried out by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Naturalists’ Trust and was the brainchild of former patient Pat Hartridge.

Mrs Hartridge is pictured second from the right in the picture with, left to right, Cliff Shuker, Phil Hill and Colleen Petursson.

Mr Shuker was the senior director of ISTEL, a Cowley-based high-tech company which paid the £300 cost of creating the garden.

Mr Hill was the project supervisor and Mrs Petursson was assistant director of nursing services at the hospital.

They are seen unveiling the board at the entrance to the latest garden, outside the day room of the gynaecology ward. It had been planted with woodland trees, including silver birch and mountain ash.

The new £3,000 wheelchair ambulance

The lower picture dates from 1975 when a £3,000 wheelchair ambulance was officially handed over to the hospital by the Oxfordshire branch of the British Red Cross Society.

It was bought from the profits made over a number of years at the Red Cross shop at the hospital.

Michael Page, the Red Cross director in Oxfordshire, is seen handing the keys to Marjorie Corton, the hospital’s head occupational therapist, as patients and staff look on.

Patients had already ridden in the vehicle, which had a tail-lift and had room for three wheelchairs and seats for others.

The Oxford Mail reported: “It is being used to take patients to their homes with an occupational therapist so their ability to cope at home can be assessed.

“When the young chronic sick unit opens at the Churchill, the ambulance will take patients from there on shopping trips and outings.”

The hospital celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2022.

It was initially founded by the Ministry of Health as an Emergency Medical Service hospital for local air raid casualties and then leased to the medical services of the United States Army.

In 1946, the facility was handed over to Oxford City Council, with the Radcliffe Infirmary managing the transition to a civilian hospital,