ALTON'S Marie Curie Field of Hope was officially blessed on St George's Day (Monday, April 23) – establishing it as a special "meadow of wishes" sent by family and friends to their loved ones and to the Marie Curie nurses who may have cared for them. Planted by a small group of volunteers in November last year, led by chairman of Alton's Marie Curie Cancer Care fund raising group, Chris Brandon- Trye, the daffodils had flowered early and were almost over for the ceremony, but the wishes were plain to see. Many of the people who had donated money to plant the bulbs in memory of loved ones, congregated in St Lawrence churchyard for the blessing. They were welcome by Mr Brandon-Trye who was able to tell them that the Field of Hope had so far raised more than £1,100 for Marie Curie. In explaining what the money would be used for, Marie Curie Cancer Care area manager for South East England, Toni Denyer said that "each day and night the doorbell will ring at homes across the UK. A Marie Curie nurse will have arrived to care for a patient who has chosen to be cared for at home during the last few weeks of their life." Mrs Denyer said that in Hampshire 30 Marie Curie nurses care for terminally ill patients at home and last year these nurses provided over one million hours of nursing care to patients at home or in a Marie Curie hospice. "Around 40 per cent of people will develop cancer at some time in their lives and one in four people will die from the disease, so the demand for Marie Curie services has never been greater," said Mrs Denyer. She pointed out that every autumn daffodils – the international symbol of hope – are planted in Fields of Hope across the country by those who have lost someone close to them. Mrs Denyer told those present: "Each 'memory' helps to make a difference to the lives of thousands of terminally ill cancer patients and their families." Alton's newly planted Field of Hope has more than 1,000 daffodils which have raised £1,100 in memory of loved ones whose names are recorded on a Roll of Honour, kept at Marie Curie's Hampshire fundraising office. Having advised on the planting of the daffodils, gardening celebrity and local patron Alan Titchmarsh said he felt the timing of the flowering had been down to him. He said"I am never less than five minutes early and the daffodils seem to have followed suit," he said. Referring to the significance of the site, he drew attention to a famous saying that, while it is "better to forget and be happy than remember and be sad, daffodils allow us to remember and be happy." "These daffodils," he added, "represent people we known and so they will always be in our hearts." In performing the blessing of the plot, the Revd Peter Doores, said that St Lawrence Church had been pleased to host the Field of Hope. And, he said, that while it may seem strange to bless a host of daffodils, it would be done so in the belief that they will bring hope and encouragement to those who come to visit. The Marie Curie team expressed thanks to all who had donated to the Field of Hope campaign. They also thanked guest of honour Alton Town Mayor Dave Crocker, Alton Town Council, St Lawrence Parochial Church Council and the Revd Peter Doores for allowing the Field of Hope to be located in the churchyard. Peter and Jean Osgood of Avenue Nursery at Lasham were thanked for donating the bulbs, as was head teacher, Nigel Utton, for the support emanating from St Lawrence School.