Legacy projects
Something lasting, in their name.
Some people find that doing something outward-facing in the name of the person they lost — something that helps other people, or keeps a memory alive in the world — is one of the most healing things there is. It is not for everyone, and there is no obligation. But if it calls you, it is worth listening to.
Plant something
A tree in the backyard. A rose in the garden. A flowering native in a park. Planting something in someone’s memory is an old, gentle ritual — partly because it gives you somewhere to return to, and partly because it keeps growing without you having to do anything.
Make a book
A small photobook of them. A printed collection of their stories. A cookbook of their recipes. Services like Momento, Blurb and Milk print beautiful soft-cover books at reasonable prices. One copy for you. One for each child. One for the family you see at funerals.
A donation in their name
If there is a cause they cared about — a charity, a hospital ward, a community organisation, a particular research fund — a donation in their name is a small, meaningful gesture. Many families do this each year on the anniversary.
A scholarship, a bursary, a bench
Some families establish a small scholarship at a school or university the person loved. Others dedicate a bench in a park. Others fund a piece of equipment at a local hospice. These don’t have to be expensive. The meaning is in the naming.
Volunteer the thing they would have loved
Many bereaved people find that volunteering — at a hospice, a foodbank, a community centre, a rescue organisation — in the area the person cared about gives grief a place to put its energy. Start small. It doesn’t have to last forever to matter.
You don’t have to
See all 64 guides in Grief & healing →
From bluetulipco.com/library/grief/legacy-projects — printed 1 October 2026.
General information only — not a substitute for legal, medical, financial, or therapeutic advice. Read the full disclaimer.
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