In the weeks leading up to the launch of Herriot Hospice@The Lambert, we caught up with Rosamund’s brother Martyn. He and his brother Andrew take great pride in their sister’s legacy which will help secure the future of hospice care in Hambleton and Richmondshire for years to come.
Describing Rosamund, or Rosy as she was affectionately known, Martyn said that she was the most caring person he knew, she had an incredible sense of humour and was ‘full of fun.’
Rosamund had battled a serious health condition for much of her adult life; in her late twenties she was diagnosed with a very rare, progressive intestinal condition. It was because of her illness that Rosamund chose to update her Will. With excitement building in the local community around the return of The Lambert, her charity of choice was Herriot Hospice Homecare.
Rosamund was ‘full of fun’
‘We knew plans to reopen The Lambert were well under way and we could see all the incredible work and activities that were going on in the community to fundraise. After Rosamund died, her friends in Thirsk Ladies Club held a charity lunch in aid of Herriot Hospice@The Lambert. Rosy would be over the moon that her gift has helped to make The Lambert a reality. She thought it was just excellent and she would have loved to have been here to see the launch.’
As well as Rosamund’s local Thirsk roots making Herriot Hospice Homecare a firm choice for her legacy gift, Martyn told us a remarkable story about their family history and serendipitous connection to Herriot Hospice Homecare.
Do you recognise the name Alf Wight? Maybe you’re more familiar with Alf’s pen name…James Herriot? He was of course the well-known veterinary surgeon, world-renowned author and the namesake of Herriot Hospice Homecare.
In 1953, the Wight family including James Herriot, his wife Joan and their two children Rosie and Jimmy moved into the house next door to Martyn, where he lived with his parents and siblings Rosamund and Andrew.
‘We all grew up together for twenty years, and in the seventies Alf’s books started to become famous. The Wights moved from the house next door to a village near Thirsk. In the 1980s my sister decided to buy the Wights’ former house, to be next door to our mother. Rosamund bought what had been Alf Wight’s old house.’
The generous gift that Rosamund left in her Will to Herriot Hospice Homecare was 10% of her taxable estate. The estate included our namesake James Herriot’s old house. A serendipity for sure!
Martyn and Rosamund were very close friends of the Wight children, Rosie and Jimmy, and Martyn fondly refers to Rosie as ‘his oldest friend.’ Reminiscing about their childhood, Martyn recalls Rosie being Head Girl at Thirsk Grammar School, with his sister Rosamund following in her footsteps. Rosie and Rosamund were also life-long friends.
Rosie Wight, now Rosie Page, is today an ambassador for Herriot Hospice Homecare. Talking about the connection, Martyn said:
‘So the story goes, hospice homecare started off locally in the Northallerton area. They asked Rosie and Jimmy whether they could use the Herriot name and of course they were very happy to agree. The Herriot name means so much to people in our community. Everyone in our area, and world-wide, knows who James Herriot is, so I think it’s given an enormous boost to Herriot Hospice Homecare.’
Martyn and Rosie
Something else that was an important feature in the community, as well as James Herriot himself, was The Lambert Memorial Hospital, which closed its doors in 2015 after an incredible 125 years.
Martyn went on to say;
‘The Lambert was our local cottage hospital. My mother went in for respite care, and the parents of several of my friends were in The Lambert for short periods too. The father of a very good friend of mine died of cancer in the room overlooking the garden. We were all very fond of The Lambert, and I even think I had a couple of stitches there as a child. My brother Andrew played in the Thirsk School band, and he remembers the band marching down to the Lambert in school lunchtimes to “entertain” the patients.
‘Having beds at The Lambert and centralising all the operations of Herriot Hospice Homecare from there I just think is a fantastic thing. The building has great character and it will provide a wonderful atmosphere for all its users. A lot of people in Thirsk remember it as a cottage hospital and are excited about its renaissance.’
If you’ve been inspired by Rosamund’s story, you too can make a lasting impact by including a gift in your Will to Herriot Hospice Homecare.Find out more about gifts in wills here.
