Remembering Shirley & Dennis: Our Memory Path

To remember his mum Shirley and step-dad Dennis, Martin is dedicating a plaque to them in the place where their love story began. 

“St James’s Hospital was such a big part of their lives. It would mean a lot to them to know they were helping to give something back to a place that was so special to them.”  

Shirley & Dennis Wray met in 1987 at St James’s Hospital casualty department, where Shirley was working as a nurse and Dennis was a porter. After a few years together, the couple decided to get married at the chapel on the hospital site, a place that Martin describes as being ‘so special to their hearts’.  

The couple both spent all of their working lives at the Leeds hospitals and later, they both spent time at the hospitals as patients too. 

"I know it would mean the world to mum to raise money to help other staff and patients at the hospitals in her name."

With a special plaque in memory of Shirley and Dennis, their love leaves a lasting legacy, continuing to help other staff and patients like them. 

Information about the Memory Path: 

Winding through the landscaped garden outside the Chapel at St James’s Hospital, our Memory Path is a peaceful space that leads people to and from the Gledhow Wing entrance. The path represents the journeys our loved ones have taken and is a beautiful, tranquil place to honour their lives. 

When you make a donation for a special plaque in memory of your loved one, you are contributing to a celebration of life and in their name, you are ensuring we can continue to support patients, families and staff at our Leeds hospitals.  

Read more: Remember a loved one with a plaque on our Memory Path

Information about the plaques: 

Our special Memory Path plaques are made from gold acrylic and engraved with black lettering. The plaques will be installed along the path, in batches, multiple times a year. Once you have made your donation, we will keep you up to date with when your plaque will be installed.  

We have three different installation periods; one year, five years or ten years and suggested donation amounts of £150, £500 or £800. Once your installation period has ended, we will contact you and give you the option to renew the installation or have the plaques sent back to you.