Despite the police initially having five suspects in relation to the crime, it wasn’t until 2012 when their family finally saw Stephen get justice, when Gary Dobson and David Norris were convicted of his murder.
I know there are times where I do feel guilty. You get to the point where you don’t smile as much as you would have done” – Doreen Lawrence
Rankin has teamed up with Royal London to encourage a conversation around death with a free digital exhibition, Lost for Words, launching today Monday 16th November.
The subject of death seems to be on our lips now more than ever, as we continue to live through a global pandemic. We are hearing numbers, stats and data on a daily basis but it’s the harsh reality of personal loss that weighs more heavily than any facts and figures ever can.
The exhibition aims to tackle the taboo surrounding death. It’s time to change the way we think about our own mortality and the mortality of our loved ones. Lost for Words looks to encourage a vital dialogue on bereavement, to honour those we have lost and help us enjoy the time we have with those we love.
In 2019, Malin gave birth to daughter Consy by emergency caesarean after doctors detected a heart defect at 33 weeks. Consy survived just a month until, too small to operate on, she passed
away. The child’s namesake, Malin’s mother Consy, passed away in 2017 after a battle with cancer. When she was one year old, Malin lost her father, also to cancer.
“It’s better to get support when you can than wait until it is too late.”
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Lost for Words is a moving new digital exhibition, shot by Rankin, made up of a series of photographs of people superimposed next to images of loved ones they have lost, bringing together the departed and those left behind. It also includes an interview series and short film discussing the importance of talking about death and planning for the inevitable.
The exhibition puts people who have experienced the loss of a loved one at its heart and it is sharing the stories of a few familiar faces: Gloria Hunniford, Ashley Walters, Konnie Huq, Malin Andersson, Divina De Campo, John Stapleton and Jeff Brazier who have joined the campaign to speak about their experience dealing with grief. Rankin will also be in conversation with people who are willing to discuss their experiences of grief and bereavement, some having faced loss through the global pandemic.
Those who took part discussed their feelings on loss, what they learnt and how to deal with the practical and financial side of bereavement. They share what they might do differently in the future as well as what they wouldn’t change for the world.
Ashley was estranged from his father when, in 2004, he revealed that he was suffering from terminal lung cancer. With just weeks to live, the 45-year-old flew to meet Ashley in Canada, where he was shooting a film. During this time, Ashley recorded footage of his father and spoke to him about his own childhood, an experience that helped Ashley come to terms with their difficult relationship.
“It was after he passed away after I went to the funeral. I remember a moment where I kind of went to call him, and then it hit me. I know this is going to sound stupid but I was surprised by how much I missed him and how much I loved him.”
“What if ‘the conversation’ wasn’t so difficult? What if it was easier, reassuring, funny, joyful? What if it, conjured memories of a full and happy life, rather than existential panic? It’s time to change the narrative.”
Rankin
Gloria lost her daughter, television presenter Caron Keating, in 2004 when she was just 41 years old. Caron had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 1997. After the death of her daughter, Gloria set up The Caron Keating Foundation, a fundraising charity which supports a number of cancer charities across the UK. In her interview, Gloria discusses coping with grief and loss, the importance of preparing for the inevitable and how death is marked in Ireland. She was awarded an OBE by the Queen for her services and hard work for cancer charities
“I think to lose a child sends you into the darkest black hole imaginable”
People will be able to view the digital exhibition on the 16th November on lostforwords.royallondon.com and those wanting to view exclusive film cuts and imagery from the exhibition will be able to join a live event Q&A hosted by Andrea Fox with Rankin and special guests on 25th November (TBC). Subscribed guests can submit a question ahead of the event with more details found on lostforwords.royallondon.com
Konnie lost her father in 2014, six years after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. His death triggered her mother’s early-onset dementia, which led to her own death just a few years later. Here, she discusses the impact that the loss of her parents has had on her, from the significance of receiving flowers as a sympathy gift, to understanding how best to approach the topic of death with the recently bereaved.
“Once you lose a parent, or both parents in my case, people will tip-toe around you and everyone else starts to have a sense-of-humour bypass because they’re worried about you, but humour is a really good coping mechanism and you don’t want to be mourning the whole time.”
