CRUSE Photography Book

BEYOND
WORDS
The Beyond Words Project is a partnership between
Cruse Bereavement Care and the Stroke Association
which is funded by Big Lottery Fund NI.
The Belfast Area Friendship Group was the first group
established under the project three years ago. The
group offers friendship and peer support to anyone who
has been bereaved. It is testament to the members of
the group, how many new members have joined and
found comfort and support in the darkness of grief.
Community Arts Partnership, “This Is Me” project, gave
some members of the group the opportunity to learn
new skills in photography and also enjoy days out trying
out these new skills.
We hope you enjoy this book of selected images
from our group.
BEYOND WORDS

The Friendship Group is the story of
opening up a conversation
taking me out of my shell, my home, my isolation
the support of friends when grief puts on a brave face
a hole in the heart
the shedding of tears every night
it is the story of turning lives around
a new family
a family built on an island called friendship
having a laugh
good craic
bringing me from that dark place on a lifeboat called ‘life’
a new chapter
a beautiful and nurturing word – friendship’
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BEYOND WORDS

BEYOND WORDS 3

JOHN CAULFIELD
I HEAR HER
VOICE “ARE
YOU MAKING
THE TEA?”
Through Beyond
Words I began
writing poetry
and in the writing
found my voice
and a path to
healing.
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BEYOND WORDS

Making The Tea
The cold of the morning brought with it the rain.
I had already been out for the papers,
The Mirror for her, for the racing pages,
The Star for me, for the competitions.
I hear her voice, “ Are you making the tea? “
Two cups and saucers sit comfortable on the small tray,
putting tea bags and spilling sugar into them, listening
as the kettle bubbles to a climax then clicks back to silence.
Pour in the water and stir to brew the tea, milk;
blending the darkness into light.
Carry the tray to the living room and set both cups alongside our papers.
Reading my paper I blow on the tea for coolness.
Something catches my eye so I read a bit longer than usual.
Take my emptied cup and used up paper to the kitchen,
then go back and pick up her unread paper, and the cold cup of tea.
John Caulfield
BEYOND WORDS 5

WHEN THERE
ARE DARK
SHADOWS
LOOK FOR
THE LIGHT
When my wife
Eileen died I
found myself in a
very dark world.
Almost a year to
the day I went to
my first Friendship
Group meeting, so
afraid and alone. I
could not imagine
the journey that
began with that
first step.
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BEYOND WORDS

CRANES
NESTING
Dormitories under
construction
outside the Ulster
University, Belfast.
BEYOND WORDS 7

LILIAN COWAN
BANTRY BAY
I love being outdoors. This brings back happy
memories of a lovely holiday in Bantry with
good friends. Taken on an early morning walk
– it was so beautiful.
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BEYOND WORDS

VIOLAS
One of my
favourite flowers
and also the
symbol of Cruse.
All different little
faces – I always
have pots of them
in my garden.
BEYOND WORDS 9

POSTCARD
Reminds me of
the postcards
we used to send
from holidays!
The Cathedral
Quarter and old
Belfast as we used
to know it!
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BEYOND WORDS

THE FENCE
Taken at Oxford
Island on a
beautiful, misty,
autumn morning.
With bird-watching
friends – beside
the lough – Robins
feeding from seeds
in your hand –
BLISS.
BEYOND WORDS 11

MARIE CROOKSHANKS
AVENUES AND
ALLEYWAYS
Umbrellas floating
down an entry in
the Cathedral
Quarter, Belfast.
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BEYOND WORDS

AUTUMN
STAR
Shining brightly,
flower in Wallace
Park, Lisburn.
BEYOND WORDS 13

PETUNIA
CASCADE
Colourful and
snowy display.
Wallace Park,
Lisburn.
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BEYOND WORDS

CAN-CAN
DANCERS
In all their finery
putting on a
show. Wallace
Park, Lisburn.
BEYOND WORDS 15

RAY FILLMORE
ENGINEERING
BEAUTY
We walk under
things like this
everyday but rarely
see them.
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BEYOND WORDS

BANTRY
HOUSE
It was worth
climbing 100
steps for such a
beautiful view!
BEYOND WORDS 17

MY NEIGHBOURS
MAC AND
DONALD
Early morning mist in the
garden. Fresh cobwebs
and barbed wire.
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BEYOND WORDS

GARNISH
ISLAND –
GLENGARRIFF
An oriental garden
but in Ireland –
beautiful reflections
of mountains
and trees.
BEYOND WORDS 19

LINDA NIXON
THE LUTHER
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BEYOND WORDS

THE LUTHER
On the 18th August 1966 I met the love of my life, my Davy. He proposed to me nine days later and we were
engaged within 6 weeks. We both knew it was for life. We used to go for long walks up the Mountain Loney,
to the gate of the wee Luther. It was a beautiful church nestled at the foot of the Black Mountain. Inside it was
like a dolls house, with gleaming brass, red carpet and shiny wood. We often talked of the day we would be
married there. Our dream finally came true on the 3rd April 1967. We went on to have one son David and three
daughters, Debbie, Katrina and Roslyn and eventually nine grandchildren. Due to the Troubles the font and bell of
the Luther were taken away for safe keeping. However the building was sadly destroyed. A week before our 44th
wedding anniversary my Davy suffered a cardiac arrest and died. We were all devastated. About four weeks later
my brother and sister-in-law took me to a cafe, and there hanging on the wall was a photo of the wee Luther. My
brother told the owner of the cafe my story. She took the photo down and sent it to me. This photo takes pride
of place in my home. I look at it and remember back all those years ago. I know my Davy would have loved it.
Linda Nixon
BEYOND WORDS 21

JOS BRADDELL
& SON
A place where my
late husband Davy
always loved to
spend time getting
his fishing gear. He
spent ages on it.
So on a trip to the
Cathedral Quarter
it brought back so
many memories.
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BEYOND WORDS

FEATHER IN
THE BUSHES
I have always
believed that a
white feather is a
sign that our loved
ones are with us so
on a trip to Bangor
with the group I
was so pleased to
see this one just
sitting in the bushes
reminding me that
our loved ones
are near.
BEYOND WORDS 23

ELEANOR ELLERSIE
THE FRIEND AT HAND
I was struck by the name of this pub. If the
Friendship Group was to open a pub, this would
be the perfect name!
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BEYOND WORDS

BANGOR BOATS AWAY
I spent a lot of childhood days in Bangor
as my grandparents lived there. “Bangor
Boats Away” was always a song they sang
and I sang it to my children too.
BEYOND WORDS 25

THE SEAGULL
We all spent quite
a while trying to
photograph this
seagull and he
finally stood still
long enough for
me to get this!
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BEYOND WORDS

BEAUTY IN THE
REFLECTION
I just love this
structure and I was
playing around with
the camera after our
first session and just
loved the effect of
the reflection.
BEYOND WORDS 27

TOT – TEDDY ON TOUR
We had a little
friend called
TOT that came
on many of our
outings. He
got up to many
adventures.
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BEYOND WORDS

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BEYOND WORDS

MAY THE
ADVENTURES
CONTINUE!
BEYOND WORDS 31

BEYOND WORDS