Memorial tree created by Hillcrest Futures group offers place for remembrance
Euan Rutter with the Recovery Tree
A memorial tree designed by Hillcrest Futures Peer Support Worker Euan Rutter and created with members of the Family Support Group is providing a lasting place for remembrance and reflection at The Centre in South Ward Road, Dundee.
The Centre is home to Hillcrest Futures’ substance use services, offering harm reduction, recovery and wellbeing support to people affected by drug and alcohol use, as well as support for their families.
Over several weeks, Euan worked with members of the Family Support Group, which supports people affected by a loved one’s substance use, to create a tribute to those they have lost. The artwork was developed during workshops at the Recovery Café, a welcoming space where people can meet, access peer support and build connections with others on their recovery journey.
The memorial combines sculpture and painting, with wire, aluminium foil, clay and paint used to create the tree against a colourful canvas. Visitors are invited to add tags with the names of, or messages to, loved ones they continue to carry with them.
Funded through the Hillcrest Futures Service Improvement Fund, the artwork features warm and cool colours alongside flowers and handwritten messages woven through the branches, reflecting the many emotions that can come with grief while celebrating remembrance, connection and hope.
Euan Rutter, Peer Support Worker at Hillcrest Futures, said: “This project gave people the opportunity to remember loved ones in a meaningful and creative way while supporting one another through shared experiences of loss. Throughout the workshops, people reflected on memories, had important conversations and contributed something personal to the artwork.
“This tree is rooted in loss, but it does not end in darkness. It reaches instead toward remembrance, connection, recovery and hope, honouring those we carry with us while acknowledging the strength that remains among those still growing.”
A member of the Family Support Group said: “The Family Support Group has been our lifeline, giving us a place to share what’s going on in our lives and in the lives of our loved ones. We also have a WhatsApp group that we use every day, which is a great source of support. We all help each other, it’s like our family chat.”
The memorial tree is now on display at The Centre in South Ward Road, where it will continue to provide a place for reflection and remembrance for people supported by Hillcrest Futures, their families and staff.