Jewellery designed for charity auction

Handmade jewellery honours much-loved aunt helping raise thousands for Pilgrims Hospices

Perthshire Artisan Diana Law recently created some very special bespoke jewellery out of love, loss and generosity. Honouring the memory of her Aunt Maureen who passed away in November 2024, who was cared for by Pilgrims Hospices, East Kent's largest hospice charity at their Canterbury hospice, Diana created and donated two handmade earring and necklace sets to the '100 Pieces of Art' charity art auction in Margate. The auction took place on 28 June, helping to raise over £9,500 for Pilgrims Hospices.

The idea for the jewellery came from Diana's uncle, Mark Boland, who noticed the potential for the Pilgrims logo to be reimagined as elegant designs. He shared the concept with his niece Diana, who quickly embraced the project: “As soon as my uncle Mark sent me the idea, I wanted to do it,” said Diana Law, who runs Diana King Jewellery Workshop. “Pilgrims cared for my aunt Maureen and supported my uncle and cousins so wonderfully. It meant a lot to be able to contribute to such an important cause.”

“My Auntie was a beautiful person – so kind and caring. It’s still so hard to believe she’s no longer with us. I wanted to give back on behalf of our family in a small way. When my Uncle Mark asked me to help out, my first thought was to represent the Hospice and reflect their care and compassion.”

Inspired by the Pilgrims Hospices logo, the pieces were lovingly crafted in sterling silver. They served not only as striking works of art but also as deeply personal tributes to a woman described as “a wonderful wife, mum, nan, sister and aunt,” and were auctioned in Maureen’s memory.

It was also very fitting, as Diana's cousin and Maureen's daughter Sharon shared that “Mum had a huge collection of earrings – she loved them and had a pair for every occasion. Creating jewellery in her memory just felt like the perfect way to raise funds for the place that cared for her so kindly in her final days.”

Diana’s contribution became part of 100 Pieces of Art, Pilgrims Hospices’ creative fundraising event, held at the Anthony Giles Studio in Margate. The event brought together artists, art lovers and supporters from across the county to raise vital funds for hospice care in east Kent.

Karen Kenward, Pilgrims Hospices Community Fundraising Manager, said:“We were incredibly touched by the generosity of the Boland family and the beauty of Diana’s jewellery. It was clear how much love had gone into the design, and how much it meant to the family. This story moved everyone attending, and the pieces helped us raise additional funds to support more families in need of end-of-life care.”

Find out more about Diana's creative practice and her work on her profile page.

Pilgrims Hospices provides compassionate care and support for over 2,500 people living with a terminal illness each year across east Kent. Events like 100 Pieces of Art are crucial in helping to fund these services. “We’re so thankful to Mark, Sharon, Diana, and everyone who contributed to this year’s auction,” added Karen. “Their generosity is helping us to continue delivering comfort and dignity to those who need it most.”