Queen’s staff help colleagues celebrate wedding after big day postponed

Leigh Kaniklides and John Tear

A group of staff at Queen’s Hospital have helped two of their colleagues celebrate what should have been their wedding day.

Leigh Kaniklides, 35, and John Tear, 42, were due to get married today at Langtons in Hornchurch but they had to call off their big day due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“We decided we’d both go to work as we didn’t want to sit at home and mope, but I felt very sad in the morning,” said Leigh, a discharge planner.

But her co-workers were determined to help Leigh enjoy the day. They got her a veil, while John’s team got flowers and arranged lunch, kebab meat and chips, to be delivered for the couple. 

They then took a ‘wedding picture’ with the veil and flowers.

Leigh said: “It ended up being a really nice day and it was so lovely that our colleagues did this for us. It really cheered us up and the picture made us laugh.”

The couple have both worked at the hospital for more than a decade but they only started going out three years ago when John, an A&E runner, asked Leigh out for a drink.

They have postponed their wedding until next September but that is not all they have had to cancel.

“We would have been going on our honeymoon in Turkey, however, we’ve had to postpone that too,” Leigh said.

The couple, who live together in Barking with their cat Harry, will still take the week off work and have made some equally exciting plans.

Leigh said: “We’ll be decorating our bathroom instead, as well as taking some time to chill out and be together.”