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Purchase a St John’s Butterfly and remember and celebrate the life of someone special, all while supporting the work of St John's Hospice.
Dedicate a butterfly
At St John's Hospice, we celebrate life and realise the importance of creating lasting memories with those we love in the time we have together. That is why we have created these beautifully handcrafted stainless-steel butterflies, giving you the opportunity to remember and celebrate the lives of the people who are special to you.
For a donation of £45, you can purchase a St John’s Butterfly engraved with a name or a special saying up to six words. As well as serving as a celebration of the life of someone special, your donation will help support the work we do at St John’s Hospice, enabling us to support even more patients and their families when they need us most.
Your butterfly will find its home in one of our hospice gardens, spaces where you can continue to visit and remember the special moments shared. The gardens are also enjoyed by our patients, their loved ones and our staff and volunteers. The St John’s Butterflies will help make it an even more spectacular outdoor space for our community to relax, enjoy and spend time with one another.
Once your butterfly has been lovingly made, you will be invited to view it in the garden of your choosing, where it will remain for one year. After this time, you’ll have the opportunity to renew it for a further year, or you can arrange to collect it from our hospice so that you can cherish it in your own home or garden.
“After Mum died, we wanted to create something in her memory, something that would remind us of the happier times we had spent together. When I heard we could get a butterfly it seemed like the perfect idea and knowing it would support other families like ours, well that’s really special. I know Mum would have loved it.”
– Elena, Supporter.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the butterfly? How do I personalise it? Can I order more than one?
We have put together a list of our most frequently asked questions to help you decide whether a St John's Butterfly is the perfect way for you to remember and celebrate your loved one.
How big is the butterfly?
Each butterfly stands about 45 cm tall, and its wings span 14 cm wide. The personalised charm is 5 cm in length. Please note, that each charm can hold a name or special saying up to six words.
Where will the butterflies be displayed?
Your butterfly will find its home in one of our hospice gardens, spaces where you can continue to visit and remember the special moments shared.
The gardens are also enjoyed by our patients, their loved ones and our staff and volunteers. The St John’s Butterflies will help make it an even more spectacular outdoor space for our community to relax, enjoy and spend time with one another.
Can I choose which garden my butterfly goes in?
You can choose whether your butterfly lives in the garden of our Wellbeing Centre or our Inpatient Unit, both located at our hospice in St John’s Wood. If you have a special connection to a particular part of the hospice, you can let us know and we can help find the perfect spot.
Can I take my butterfly home?
Your butterfly will be kept in our hospice garden for one year and you can continue to visit it and create lasting memories there. After this time, you’ll have the opportunity to renew your butterfly for a further year or we can arrange to send it to you so that you can cherish it in your own home or garden.
If you would prefer to take it home as soon as we receive it please let us know and we can make alternative arrangements.
Are the butterflies suitable for outdoor display?
Absolutely. We wanted to ensure your butterfly remains a beautiful celebration of the life of someone special and so they have been designed with this in mind. Both the butterfly and personalised charm are made from stainless steel to withstand living outdoors.
How do I order a butterfly?
If you would like to purchase a St John’s Butterfly, please click the button below. Please note, that we order the butterflies monthly due to a shortage of storage space at the hospice. Therefore, there can be a wait time of at least a couple of weeks from the date you ordered your butterfly to the date we invite you to view it at the hospice. Please bear with us.
Your butterfly can be engraved with a name or special saying up to six words. This could be something like 'In loving memory,' 'Forever in our hearts,' or 'Never forgotten.' When you purchase your butterfly, you will be prompted to input what you would like to be engraved on the charm in the order form.
If you are having any problems leaving your name or special message in the form, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our team at fundraising@hje.org.uk or on 020 7806 4011. We can help guide you through the process.
Can I order multiple butterflies?
Of course. You can order as many butterflies as you would like to celebrate the lives of the people who are special to you. Each one can be personalised to represent your unique connection and the moments you have shared.
When you increase the quantity on your order form, more prompts will pop up to collect your additional engraving needs. Please note that each charm can hold a name or special saying up to six words.
Can I purchase a butterfly even if I don't have a specific connection to your hospice?
Yes, you can. We hope that our butterflies can serve as a celebration of the lives of the people who are special to you whether you or they have a specific connection to our hospice.
The butterflies also help to raise funds to support our work and as such can be a fantastic way to support your local hospice even if you don’t have a specific connection to us.
Can I visit the gardens to see my butterfly on display?
Absolutely. Once your butterfly has been lovingly made, you will be invited to view it in the garden of your choosing where it will remain for one year. In this time, you can visit the gardens and your butterfly but you must let us know you’re coming by emailing us at fundraising@hje.org.uk.
If you are unable to visit the hospice to see your butterfly, we can take photos and send them to you.
Can you send my butterfly in the post?
If you can come in to collect your butterfly, that would be preferable, but we may be able to arrange postage for you provided you live within the UK.
Get in touch
If you cannot find the answer to your question or would like further information before purchasing a St John’s Butterfly, please get in touch with our team at fundraising@hje.org.uk or on 020 7806 4011.