About 100 friends and family members of loved ones who passed in the past year gathered at the HSHS St. Johns Pavillion on Wednesday afternoon for the annual ‘butterfly release”.

53 Painted Lady Butterflies were released after a brief ceremony.

Each family in attendance received one butterfly for their deceased family member.

Many of those gathered reflected on this event as an opportunity for ‘closure’.

Around 400 butterflies are to be released in the next few days throughout the HSHS St. Johns community.