The Grand Opening
The 25th of November 1991 dawned bleak and cold. Princess Diana had to make the journey to Manchester that morning in extreme conditions, but her very presence warmed the coldest day! There was great excitement in Francis House.
The police with sniffer dogs had secured the area, the street barriers were in place and hundreds of people were trying to find a good position to view the arrival of the Princess. The route was lined by groups of school children, looking extremely smart in their school uniforms.
Princess Diana made time for everyone. Each person felt special, but particularly the children and their families, with whom, as she had promised, she spent most of the time.
Inside Francis House the first children and families to receive respite care were awaiting their special visitor. Princess Diana had expressed that she wished to spend her time at Francis House with them. One family present had already suffered the loss of their little girl in that very first week of opening of the hospice. Every available corner of the House was crammed with friends and benefactors - people who believed in and supported the project very generously, both with their time and money. Among those waiting, were the legendary Manchester United manager, Sir Matt Busby, the clergy of every denomination, and many notable people from the business world. Also present were the volunteers whose heroic work in raising funds had helped make the hospice possible.
Meeting the team
The car drew up and Princess Diana alighted. The Lord Lieutenant greeted her along with the Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councillor John Gilmore, Bishop Patrick Kelly (Diocese of Salford), our local M.P. Keith Bradley, Sister Aloysius the Administrator and Margaret Hickie, the senior nurse. At every vantage point, neighbours and Rescue Society officers clambered for a view. People lined the pathway as the Bishop led the Princess along the drive and into Francis House. Father Tom Mulheran, director, chaplain and inspiration behind Francis House greeted the Princess at the entrance.
Diana was presented with a posy of flowers by Rebecca, one of the sick children. The unpredictability of Rebecca's illness held us in great suspense but she dutifully fulfilled her task and was rewarded with a precious smile.
Princess Diana was obviously very moved at times and showed great interest in all around her. A little group of children played music as she passed and she stopped to be photographed with them. Diana looked beautiful and wore a red, green and white check suit, and she left us all with an unforgettable image of a beautiful, caring and genuinely concerned person. One thing she did which demonstrated her genuineness was that on leaving Francis House (already well behind schedule) she went across to some school children who had been waiting to see her for hours. Her comments, as she was urged to get into the car, was that they had been waiting all through a very cold morning and she delighted them all by crossing the road to talk to them. The next day she phoned the Lord Lieutenant's office asking for the name and address of the school so that she could write and thank them for their patience.
A lasting impression
The most important thing was that she made the children and their families feel worthwhile. The families of terminally ill children lead lives filled with anxiety and are often unable to express how they really feel. This day however, Princess Diana made them feel special. She had made the trip from London just to talk to them, and she did so with respect and dignity. In retrospect, at a time when her own life was filled with problems, she was able to boost the morale of all the families she met.
